Sen. Blackburn to Newsmax: Dems' Video Undermines Military

A video released by several Democrat lawmakers urging military personnel to "refuse illegal orders" is part of a broader pattern of the party's leaders undermining the chain of command, law enforcement, and the integrity of federal agencies, Sen. Marsha Blackburn told Newsmax on Thursday.

"One thing we know is that members of the military are there to execute their mission," the Tennessee Republican said on Newsmax's "Newsline." "They are there to carry out their orders."

She added that she agrees with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth that the lawmakers in the video have "stage-four Trump derangement syndrome."

President Donald Trump has condemned the video, which shows Sens. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., and Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., along with Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., directly addressing service members and claiming that threats to the Constitution were now coming "from right here at home."

Trump responded on Truth Social that those involved "should be arrested and put on trial," and Blackburn said the lawmakers' message crosses a dangerous line.

She added that the lawmakers were frustrated that voters rejected their agenda.

"The fact that they do not control the House, the Senate, the White House, they are really so very frustrated. And I think that's because the American people have said, We don't agree with you. Your party has gone so left. You have gone so woke. You are so out of touch," Blackburn said.

According to the senator, Democrats are also telling voters the economy was strong and the border was secure, even as inflation soared and illegal crossings broke records.

"They would say, Oh, the economy is great, when people knew 9.1% inflation was not great," she said. "They would say, Oh, our border is secure, and people could go online and watch the videos of thousands of people per day coming into the country."

And as for Slotkin, Kelly, and Deluzio, "it is incredible for them to talk like this," said Blackburn. "And you know, they're not hiding this at all. This is not a covert video.

"They are trying to send a message."

Blackburn also pointed to what she described as resistance from activist judges and Democrat city leaders who, she said, continue to obstruct immigration enforcement.

"You have activist judges, as in the case of Tennessee, that [are] trying to block the National Guard from working with the Memphis Safe Task Force. This is a city where 63% of the individuals in the city support having the Memphis Safe Task Force," she said.

She added that federal and local agencies are working to remove criminal migrants, while left-leaning officials encourage defiance of the law.

"You have these elected officials who are saying to people 'Defy the rule of law.' And what we have is ICE, DHS, you have local law enforcement," she said.

"They're trying to enforce the rule of law, and they want to get people who are criminal, illegal aliens out of the country," said Blackburn. "And you have these leftists that are putting lawbreakers in front of law-abiding citizens."

Blackburn then turned to the investigation into the attempted assassination of Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, during his 2024 campaign, saying new revelations about the FBI's handling of evidence justify restarting the probe.

"Clearly, there's a lot we don't know. And what we do know is that with DOJ and FBI, there is definitely a deep state, the Secret Service, a deep state," she said.

However, Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, and the Department of Homeland Security Secretary are working to root out the "deep state" from the nation's agencies, said Blackburn.

She also questioned why federal agencies withheld information from Congress about what happened in Butler.

"This investigation of Butler, Pennsylvania, needs to start over, both for the FBI and the Secret Service," said Blackburn. "Why was the FBI stonewalling on releasing that information? Why are we just now getting it?"

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