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Democrat legislators who urged US military personnel to ignore unlawful orders are now reacting to what they describe as a federal investigation into their conduct.

Notification of Probe

Democratic Legislator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan stated that the Federal Bureau of Investigation on the start of the week informed the six lawmakers who appeared in recent recording about the examination.

"No amount of intimidation or harassment will ever prevent us from doing our jobs and upholding our founding document," several Congressional representatives declared.

Presidential Reaction

Their message to military members led to US President Trump to accuse the Democrats of "seditious behavior, carrying capital punishment" and initiated a Defense Department examination of "serious allegations of improper behavior" against Democratic Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, who likewise participated in the recording.

The Justice Department declined to provide statement on the alleged probe.

Video Details

The recording by Democrats, each of whom have served in the armed forces or intelligence community, was shared recently by Slotkin and includes 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 Democrat-led municipalities resisting Trump's deployment of state military forces to the area.

FBI Involvement

The senator stated on Tuesday that the FBI's counterterrorism unit sent a note to the legislators to inform them of an reported investigation into the lawmakers.

"His reaction and the use of the FBI against us is precisely why we made the recording," she said at an event in her home state.

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

Congressional Response

Likewise, Congress members Deluzio, Goodlander, Houlahan and Crow asserted that Trump is using the FBI as "tool to pressure and harass" legislators, confirming that the FBI contacted the Congressional security officials to request meetings.

"We swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution 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 declared.

Executive Response

The video - in which the Arizona senator alleged the administration of "pitting our uniformed military and security personnel against the American people" - drew the President's ire and he suggested on online platforms that they be detained, imprisoned and hanged.

His comments received bipartisan condemnation and the chief executive ultimately walked back his statements in a television appearance, explaining that he was "not threatening capital punishment."

Defense Department Action

On Monday, the Defense Department alleged Senator Kelly, a previous captain in the Navy and astronaut, of violating military law. The defence department said it would conduct a review to determine whether the state senator should be recalled to military service to face military judicial process.

Even though Kelly retired from the military, he is nevertheless bound by the Uniform Code of Military Justice - a federal law enacted by the legislature in 1951 that subjects personnel of the armed forces to a special set of rules.

Military Secretary Comment

Military leader Pete Hegseth charged Kelly of violating the UCMJ and of employing his rank and service affiliation as a way to lend "the appearance of legitimacy to his statements" in the video.

He added that the senator's behavior "casts doubt upon the military and will be handled properly."

Legislator Response

But Kelly also responded, saying that he has "given significant service to this nation to be intimidated by bullies who prioritize their own power than protecting the founding document."

Accounts indicated on Tuesday that the Federal Bureau and Department of Justice reached out to Congressional security to schedule interviews with the half-dozen members of Congress.

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