DiscoverThe Smerconish PodcastDisobeying Orders: Congress, the Military, and the Line Between Duty and Defiance
Disobeying Orders: Congress, the Military, and the Line Between Duty and Defiance

Disobeying Orders: Congress, the Military, and the Line Between Duty and Defiance

Update: 2025-11-24
Share

Description

When six Democratic members of Congress released a video urging troops to “refuse illegal orders,” President Trump called it seditious behavior. But was the video itself appropriate—or reckless? Michael speaks with Lt. Col. Rachel VanLandingham (ret.), a former Air Force JAG and law professor, who says the lawmakers “did more harm than good.” Together, they unpack what the law actually says about disobeying orders, how politics risks turning the military into a pawn, and where the real danger to democracy lies. Original air date 24 November 2025. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
for information about our collection and use of personal data for
advertising.
Comments 
In Channel
loading
00:00
00:00
x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

Disobeying Orders: Congress, the Military, and the Line Between Duty and Defiance

Disobeying Orders: Congress, the Military, and the Line Between Duty and Defiance

Rachel VanLandingham, Michael Smerconish