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Hegseth explains why “unlawful order” means something different inside the military

Posted on 11/27/25 at 10:13 am
Posted by Placekicker
Florida
Member since Jan 2016
11944 posts
Posted on 11/27/25 at 10:13 am


The despicable video urging @DeptofWar troops to “refuse illegal orders” may seem harmless to civilians — but it carries a different weight inside the military.

This was a politically-motivated influence operation:

?? It never named a specific “illegal order.”
?? It created ambiguity rather than clarity.
?? It used carefully scripted, legal-sounding language.
?? It subtly reframed military obedience around partisan distrust instead of established legal processes.

In the military, vague rhetoric and ambiguity undermines trust, creates hesitation in the chain of command, and erodes cohesion.

The military already has clear procedures for handling unlawful orders. It does not need political actors injecting doubt into an already clear chain of command.

As veterans of various sorts, the Seditious Six knew exactly what they were doing — sowing doubt through a politically-motivated influence operation. The @DeptofWar won’t fall for it or stand for it.
Posted by udtiger
Over your left shoulder
Member since Nov 2006
112060 posts
Posted on 11/27/25 at 10:15 am to
Hegseth is overreacting and should have just not said anything.

SFP, probably
Posted by moneyg
Member since Jun 2006
61762 posts
Posted on 11/27/25 at 10:16 am to
That’s a great post.

It’s almost impossible to argue with although the SFPs of the world will try.
Posted by RFK
Mar-a-Lago
Member since May 2012
2633 posts
Posted on 11/27/25 at 10:18 am to
We already know Hegseth doesn’t like the rule of law.

He demoted the top JAGs within his first few days in office as secretary of defense.

When he was a national guard lieutenant in Iraq, his brigade commander ordered troops to kill “all military aged males” and then refused to testify on his soldiers’ behalf when 4 of them were court-martialed for murder.

So that’s his experience.
Posted by Jbird
In Bidenville with EthanL
Member since Oct 2012
83471 posts
Posted on 11/27/25 at 10:22 am to
You are a fricking idiot.
Posted by Placekicker
Florida
Member since Jan 2016
11944 posts
Posted on 11/27/25 at 10:25 am to
quote:

So that’s his experience.


What the Seditious Six have done is to plant the seed. With every order, they are now going to think- “is this lawful?” “Am I going to get prosecuted for executing this order when the Dems get back into power?”

This will grind the military machine to a halt- effectively neutering the greatest military force on Earth.

And, to the Dems, any order that they don’t agree with is unlawful, regardless if it follows the Constitution or not.

This is very dangerous territory that we are entering.
Posted by FATBOY TIGER
Valhalla
Member since Jan 2016
12835 posts
Posted on 11/27/25 at 10:28 am to
quote:

So that’s his experience.


Whats your's pencil pusher?
Posted by soonerinlOUisiana
South of I-10
Member since Aug 2012
989 posts
Posted on 11/27/25 at 10:29 am to
quote:

We already know Hegseth doesn’t like the rule of law. He demoted the top JAGs within his first few days in office as secretary of defense. When he was a national guard lieutenant in Iraq, his brigade commander ordered troops to kill “all military aged males” and then refused to testify on his soldiers’ behalf when 4 of them were court-martialed for murder. So that’s his experience.


^ camel-jockey propaganda.
Posted by ezride25
Constitutional Republic
Member since Nov 2008
26171 posts
Posted on 11/27/25 at 10:31 am to
Yes yes we know it was wrong Pete. Anyone who isn’t complicit understands as much.

What America wants to understand is what you are going to do about it.
Posted by GoblinGuide
Member since Nov 2017
2002 posts
Posted on 11/27/25 at 10:35 am to
quote:

?? It never named a specific “illegal order.”
?? It created ambiguity rather than clarity.
?? It used carefully scripted, legal-sounding language.
?? It subtly reframed military obedience around partisan distrust instead of established legal processes.


The simplest response to give to this is "Thank you for reminding our soldiers of their duty, Caption Obvious" and move on with your life. But because Kegseth is an insecure manchild, he goes nuclear with his response and turns it into a story.
Posted by Jbird
In Bidenville with EthanL
Member since Oct 2012
83471 posts
Posted on 11/27/25 at 10:38 am to
quote:

and turns it into a story.


That shitty video was going nuclear regardless.
Posted by ezride25
Constitutional Republic
Member since Nov 2008
26171 posts
Posted on 11/27/25 at 10:40 am to
Don’t you people ever get tired of pointing at the response to the problem as the issue rather than the problem itself?

It’s a trope, and it’s tiresome.
Posted by Bunk Moreland
Member since Dec 2010
66259 posts
Posted on 11/27/25 at 10:41 am to
That's how I feel about Trump. Just say "I agree that illegal orders can be refused. What orders were illegal?" Maybe add something about how they were encouraging insubordination. It would have defused everything immediately. But, he had to go thermonuclear and here we are.
Posted by Azkiger
Member since Nov 2016
26877 posts
Posted on 11/27/25 at 10:42 am to
quote:

He demoted the top JAGs within his first few days in office as secretary of defense.


Zero chance they deserved it?

Also, I noticed you did not address his actual point. Why is that?
This post was edited on 11/27/25 at 10:43 am
Posted by Mid Iowa Tiger
Undisclosed Secure Location
Member since Feb 2008
23651 posts
Posted on 11/27/25 at 10:45 am to
He is 100% correct. They did it to intentionally weaken the chain of command.

There are JAG officers who review the legality of orders every step of the way.
Posted by ABearsFanNMS
Formerly of tLandmass now in Texas
Member since Oct 2014
19768 posts
Posted on 11/27/25 at 10:47 am to
quote:

You are a fricking idiot.


That may be the understatement of the year!
Posted by GoblinGuide
Member since Nov 2017
2002 posts
Posted on 11/27/25 at 11:12 am to
quote:

Don’t you people ever get tired of pointing at the response to the problem as the issue rather than the problem itself?

It’s a trope, and it’s tiresome.


Is "Don't follow illegal orders" a problem statement or just a very obvious one?
Posted by Jbird
In Bidenville with EthanL
Member since Oct 2012
83471 posts
Posted on 11/27/25 at 11:29 am to
quote:

just a very obvious one
So obvious it begs the question, why make it in the first place?
Posted by RohanGonzales
Member since Apr 2024
7909 posts
Posted on 11/27/25 at 11:31 am to
quote:

The simplest response to give to this is "Thank you for reminding our soldiers of their duty, Caption Obvious" and move on with your life. But because Kegseth is an insecure manchild, he goes nuclear with his response and turns it into a story.


WHy should those fricking scumbags get away with what they did?
Posted by RelentlessAnalysis
Member since Oct 2025
1330 posts
Posted on 11/27/25 at 11:33 am to
quote:

"Hegseth is overreacting and should have just not said anything." SFP, probably
Do you people ever stop to consider the extent to which SFP lives in your heads?
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