Quill Lawrence

troops.

You can refuse illegal orders.

That's a basic tenet of military education, but President Trump called it treason and suggested the six Democrats be hanged.

The Trump administration has faced legal questions about deployment of National Guard troops domestically

and deadly airstrikes on boats suspected of smuggling.

Of the six in the video, only Kelly, as a formerly retired officer, can be recalled to face court-martial.

And Secretary Hegseth said that's what the Pentagon may do after this review, though it would be rare if not unprecedented.

Senator Kelly responded that he won't be intimidated.

Quill Lawrence, NPR News.

Judges have been ruling that some of the Trump administration's deployment of National Guard troops against the will of state governors is illegal.

But there's also the ongoing lethal strikes against boats allegedly carrying drugs to the U.S.

And that's another case where legal scholars and some European allies have said that they don't think these killings

are legal.

So this is six Democratic veteran lawmakers who are reiterating what troops and especially officers learn is that you don't have to follow illegal orders and that, importantly, just following orders is not a defense for doing something illegal.

Kelly, a former combat pilot and astronaut, joined five other Democratic lawmakers with military and intelligence backgrounds last week in a message to U.S.

troops.

Our laws are clear.

You can refuse illegal orders.

That's a basic tenet of military education, but President Trump called it treason and suggested the six Democrats be hanged.

The Trump administration has faced legal questions about deployment of National Guard troops domestically and deadly airstrikes on boats suspected of smuggling.