Steven Beschloss: Will American Soldiers Refuse to Obey Illegal Orders?

[Dennis Donovan]

Steven Beschloss - Will American Soldiers Refuse to Obey Illegal Orders?

A Saturday prompt

Steven Beschloss
Jan 25, 2025

Last night 50 Republican senators voted to confirm the blatantly unqualified Pete Hegseth as the Secretary of Defense, with only GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins and Mitch McConnell voting no. With every Democrat rejecting Hegseth, Vice President J.D. Vance cast the tie-breaking vote—51-50.

There are many ways Hegseth puts our nation’s security at risk, including his track record of drunkenness and sexual abuse, his lack of knowledge, his utter lack of experience managing large organizations, his hostility toward the Geneva Convention, his support for soldiers convicted of war crimes, his desire to drive out “woke” generals and end an inclusive culture, his support for Christian nationalism, his plan to minimize the role of women in the military. But perhaps the most alarming feature of his dangerous ascent is his apparent sycophantic readiness to do what Trump asks him, law and morality be damned.

We witnessed this during Hegseth’s Senate confirmation hearing less than two weeks ago when Sen. Mazie Hirono questioned him directly. (Here’s my snapshot summary of that hearing.) “In June of 2020, then-President Trump directed former secretary of defense Mark Esper to shoot protesters in the legs in downtown D.C., an order Secretary Esper refused to comply with,” Hirono said. “Would you carry out such an order from President Trump?”

Hegseth refused to say no. Instead, he said that he was among the National Guard unit in Lafayette Square that day, “carrying a riot shield on behalf of my country.” With thinly veiled anger, he also called the events that day “chaos” as protesters tried to jump over a fence and set a church on fire.

Hirono’s conclusion: “That sounds to me that you will comply with such an order. You will shoot protestors in the leg.” Hegseth did not deny it.

/snip

[4th]

1. Did they ever refuse illegal orders before? Ever?

This goes *way* back.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonus_Army

[Callie1979]

2. Many soldiers have refused illegal orders. Many who gave them have been charged.

But that doesnt mean ALL would disobey. But it starts at the top

[Baron2024]

3. Active Resistance

We need to form a coalition of soldiers and officers in the military and federal law enforcement that actively resist the illegal orders and unconstitutional actions of this fascist regime. Leaders and American patriots like General Milley and former FBI Director Christopher Wary should be using their contacts in the US military and federal law enforcement to start forming affinity groups of anti-fascist soldiers and law enforcement agents. They must organize to defend the Constitution according to their oaths, and oppose anyone that gives or executes an illegal order or unconstitutional plans.

[doc03]

4. If the president does it, it is not illeagal. Richard Nixon.