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Democrat lawmakers who encouraged US military personnel to disobey unlawful orders are now reacting to what they call a government inquiry into their actions.

Alert of Investigation

Democrat Legislator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan announced that the FBI on the start of the week informed the half-dozen congressional members who appeared in recent video about the examination.

"Any attempt at intimidation or targeting will ever stop us from performing our duties and honoring our founding document," four Congressional representatives stated.

Presidential Response

Their statement to troops prompted President Trump to accuse the Democratic lawmakers of "treasonous conduct, punishable by death" and triggered a Defense Department review of "significant claims of misconduct" against Democratic Legislator Mark Kelly of Arizona, who also appeared in the recording.

The Justice Department refused to provide statement on the reported probe.

Video Details

The video by Democrats, all of whom have served in the armed forces or intelligence community, was distributed last week by Slotkin and features Kelly and Congress members 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 Democratic-controlled cities resisting Trump's sending of state military forces to the region.

Federal Bureau Participation

Slotkin stated on the following day that the Federal Bureau of Investigation's counterterrorism unit sent a notification to the legislators to notify them of an reported inquiry into the lawmakers.

"His reaction and the use of the FBI against us is exactly why we created the recording," she stated at an gathering in Michigan.

"He thinks in using the national government against his imagined opponents, and he's not afraid to use the arms of the administration against people he opposes," she commented, describing Trump's actions as "a scare tactic."

Congressional Response

Similarly, Congress members Deluzio, Goodlander, Houlahan and Crow said that Trump is employing the FBI as "instrument to intimidate and target" members of Congress, verifying that the Federal Bureau contacted the Congressional security officials to arrange meetings.

"We swore an pledge to uphold and protect the founding document of the United States. That oath is permanent, and we plan to honor it. We won't be intimidated. We refuse to surrender our principles," they stated.

Presidential Reaction

The video - in which the Arizona senator accused the government of "setting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens" - drew the President's ire and he suggested on online platforms that they be arrested, imprisoned and hanged.

His comments received cross-party condemnation and the president ultimately retracted his statements in a television appearance, explaining that he was "not advocating capital punishment."

Pentagon Response

On Monday, the Defense Department accused the Arizona legislator, a former officer in the US Navy and astronaut, of breaching military law. The military leadership announced it would perform a review to establish whether the Arizona lawmaker should be returned to active duty to undergo military judicial process.

Even though the senator left from the armed forces, he is nevertheless bound by the military legal code - a national legislation established by the legislature in 1951 that subjects personnel of the military to a special set of rules.

Defense Leader Comment

Military leader Pete Hegseth charged Kelly of violating the UCMJ and of using his rank and service affiliation as a way to lend "the impression of authority to his statements" in the recording.

He added that Kelly's conduct "casts doubt upon the military and will be handled appropriately."

Senator Kelly's

But Kelly likewise pushed back, stating that he has "devoted significant service to this country to be silenced by intimidators who care more about their own authority than defending the founding document."

Reports suggested on the following day that the FBI and Justice Department contacted Congressional security to schedule meetings with the six members of Congress.

The Federal Bureau refused to provide statement on Tuesday when contacted by media outlets.