CNN’s Kaitlan Collins displayed some intentional obtuseness on Tuesday’s edition of The Source when she observed that the White House has not attacked Republican veterans’ rebuttal video to Democrats telling the troops to disobey illegal orders from President Trump. Despite the differences between the two videos, Collins falsely said they were “saying the same thing” about the need to follow the law and suggested people were being hypocritical by not accusing the Republicans of sedition.
After playing the Democrats’ video, Collins summarized, “Their message was to obey the law. And agree with the video or why they put it out or not, angering the president is obviously not illegal. But he has plainly taken it as an affront to his authority and has accused those Democrats, subsequently, of seditious behavior, reminding everyone that that is punishable by death, as the president has on Truth Social.
Collins then read a statement from the Democrats involved before moving on to the GOP rebuttal, “One thing worth noting tonight is how similar that video that you just saw, where Democrats are telling troops they must refuse an unlawful order, is to the rebuttal that we saw from these Republicans.”
In the video, Republicans were shown talking about the importance of their oath and service to the country and the Constitution. It concluded with one congressman explaining, “We all understand the importance of the chain of command,” and Rep. Jack Bergman adding, “Troops. Listen up. Any service member who refuses a lawful order is subject to court martial for violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice.”
Collins reacted by claiming, “They're kind of both saying the same thing in those videos. Republicans, however, have not been accused of sedition by the White House.”
They were not saying the same thing. Politicians simply do not make videos urging the military to disobey illegal orders out of nowhere. The Democrats were suggesting that Trump has or could be about to issue such orders and were encouraging the troops to disobey them. They have provided no evidence for any of this, hence the Republican response.
Here is a transcript for the November 25 show:
CNN The Source with Kaitlan Collins
11/25/2025
9:02 PM ET
KAITLAN COLLINS: Their message was to obey the law. And agree with the video or why they put it out or not, angering the president is obviously not illegal. But he has plainly taken it as an affront to his authority and has accused those Democrats, subsequently, of seditious behavior, reminding everyone that that is punishable by death, as the president has on Truth Social.
And the Democrats have responded in a joint statement they put out tonight. I'm quoting from it now. They say, “We swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. That oath lasts a lifetime, and we intend to keep it. We will not be bullied and we will never give up the ship.”
One thing worth noting tonight is how similar that video that you just saw, where Democrats are telling troops they must refuse an unlawful order, is to the rebuttal that we saw from these Republicans.
NICK LALOTA: I want to speak directly to the members of the military and the intelligence community. Like you, I raised my right hand because I love this country. I believe in something bigger than myself.
JOE WILSON: That freedom is not free.
BARRY MOORE: My oath was clear. Uphold the Constitution.
RICK CRAWFORD: That commitment is powerful.
UNIDENTIFIED GOP CONGRESSMAN: We all understand the importance of the chain of command.
REP. JACK BERGMAN: Troops. Listen up. Any service member who refuses a lawful order is subject to court martial for violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
COLLINS: They're kind of both saying the same thing in those videos. Republicans, however, have not been accused of sedition by the White House.
