Democrat legislators who urged American troops to ignore unlawful commands are now reacting to what they describe as a government investigation into their actions.
Notification of Probe
Democrat Legislator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan announced that the FBI on Monday informed the half-dozen congressional members who appeared in last week's video about the investigation.
"Any attempt at pressure or targeting will ever stop us from performing our duties and honoring our Constitution," several US House members stated.
Executive Response
Their statement to troops prompted President Trump to allege the Democratic lawmakers of "treasonous conduct, punishable by death" and initiated a Pentagon review of "significant claims of misconduct" against Democratic Senator Mark Kelly of the state of Arizona, who likewise participated in the video.
The Justice Department refused to comment on the reported probe.
Video Particulars
The recording by Democrats, all of whom have worked in the armed forces or national security sector, was distributed last week by Slotkin and features Kelly and US Representatives Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander, Chrissy Houlahan and Jason Crow.
The communication emerged amid escalating friction between the Trump administration and the Venezuelan government, as well as Democrat-led municipalities resisting Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to the region.
FBI Participation
The senator said on Tuesday that the FBI's national security division sent a notification to the legislators to notify them of an alleged investigation into the lawmakers.
"His reaction and the use of the FBI against us is exactly why we made the recording," she stated at an event in her home state.
"He thinks in employing the national government against his perceived adversaries, and he's not afraid to use the arms of the government against individuals he opposes," she said, characterizing Trump's actions as "intimidation."
Legislative Reaction
Likewise, Congress members Deluzio, Goodlander, Houlahan and Crow asserted that the President is employing the Federal Bureau as "tool to intimidate and harass" members of Congress, confirming that the Federal Bureau reached out to the Congressional security officials to request interviews.
"We swore an oath to support and protect the founding document of the United States of America. That oath lasts a lifetime, and we plan to keep it. We won't be intimidated. We refuse to give up the ship," they stated.
Presidential Response
The recording - in which Kelly accused the government of "pitting our armed forces and intelligence community professionals against the American people" - provoked Trump's ire and he implied on social media that they be arrested, locked up and executed.
His comments received cross-party condemnation and the president eventually retracted his statements in a TV interview, explaining that he was "not threatening death."
Defense Department Response
On Monday, the Pentagon accused the Arizona legislator, a previous officer in the Navy and astronaut, of breaching armed forces regulations. The military leadership announced it would perform a review to establish whether the Arizona lawmaker should be returned to active duty to face military judicial process.
Even though Kelly retired from the armed forces, he is still subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice - a national legislation established by the legislature in 1951 that subjects members of the military to a unique system of regulations.
Military Leader Comment
Defence secretary Pete Hegseth accused the senator of violating the military code and of employing his rank and military background as a way to lend "the impression of legitimacy to his words" in the video.
He added that the senator's behavior "brings discredit upon the armed forces and will be handled appropriately."
Legislator Kelly's
But Kelly likewise responded, saying that he has "devoted too much to this country to be intimidated by bullies who care more about their own authority than defending the Constitution."
Reports suggested on the following day that the FBI and Justice Department contacted Congressional security to arrange meetings with the six legislators.
The Federal Bureau refused to provide statement on Tuesday when approached by news organizations.
