A D.C. grand jury declined to indict six Democratic lawmakers over a video urging military and intelligence officials to reject unlawful orders, torpedoing a prosecution pursued by Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, according to NBC News.
President Donald Trump had accused the lawmakers of “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” on Truth Social. (RELATED: Two ‘Seditious Six’ Democrats Refuse To Comply With Trump Admin Probe)
The six legislators in the video were Democrats including New Hampshire Rep. Maggie Goodlander, Colorado Rep. Jason Crow, Pennsylvania Reps. Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan, Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly. All previously served in the military or intelligence community, and all refused to cooperate with the Justice Department’s probe.
In the video, the lawmakers argued the Trump administration was turning the armed forces and intelligence community against American citizens. They emphasized that public servants have a duty to reject unlawful commands: “The American people need you to stand up for our laws and our Constitution. Don’t give up the ship.”
We want to speak directly to members of the Military and the Intelligence Community.
The American people need you to stand up for our laws and our Constitution.
Don’t give up the ship. pic.twitter.com/N8lW0EpQ7r
— Sen. Elissa Slotkin (@SenatorSlotkin) November 18, 2025
Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, service members must follow lawful orders but are obligated to refuse clearly illegal ones.
Slotkin said on X that Pirro acted at Trump’s direct order, calling the investigation “politicized.” She noted Trump had “repeatedly” called for her to be “investigated, arrested, and hanged for sedition,” adding that “a grand jury of anonymous American citizens upheld the rule of law and determined this case should not proceed.”
Today, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro attempted to persuade a Grand Jury to indict me. This was in response to me organizing a 90-second video that simply quoted the law. Pirro did this at the direction of President Trump, who said repeatedly that I should be investigated, arrested,…
— Sen. Elissa Slotkin (@SenatorSlotkin) February 11, 2026
The FBI had previously sought interviews with all six lawmakers, and the Pentagon announced in November that it was reviewing Kelly for potential violations of military law over the same video.
Republican North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, who is leaving Congress at the end of his term, warned that “political lawfare” from either party erodes public trust in the justice system.
“Thankfully in this instance, a jury saw the attempted indictments for what they really were,” he said. “Political lawfare is not normal, not acceptable, and needs to stop.”
Political lawfare waged by either side undermines America’s criminal justice system, which is the gold standard of the world. Thankfully in this instance, a jury saw the attempted indictments for what they really were. Political lawfare is not normal, not acceptable, and needs to…
— Senator Thom Tillis (@SenThomTillis) February 11, 2026
The specific charges prosecutors sought remain unclear.
In a related case, a federal judge is expected to rule in the coming days on whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth acted lawfully in retaliating against Kelly over his role in the video. Hegseth issued Kelly a formal letter of censure and is pursuing a reduction of his retirement rank from Navy captain.
The Daily Caller reached out to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia for comment but did not receive a response.