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Democrat legislators who urged American troops to disobey unlawful commands are now responding to what they describe as a federal investigation into their actions.

Notification of Investigation

Democratic Legislator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan stated that the FBI on Monday notified the half-dozen congressional members who were featured in last week's recording about the investigation.

"Any attempt at intimidation or targeting will never stop us from performing our duties and upholding our Constitution," several US House members stated.

Executive Response

Their message to troops led to President Trump to accuse the Democratic lawmakers of "seditious behavior, punishable by death" and initiated a Defense Department review of "serious allegations of improper behavior" against Democrat Legislator Mark Kelly of the state of Arizona, who likewise appeared in the recording.

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

Recording Details

The video by Democratic officials, each of whom have served in the armed forces or national security sector, was shared recently by Slotkin and includes Senator Kelly and Congress members Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander, Chrissy Houlahan and Jason Crow.

The communication came amid increasing friction between the Trump administration and the government of Venezuela, as well as Democratic-controlled cities resisting Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to the region.

FBI Involvement

The senator said on Tuesday that the Federal Bureau of Investigation's national security division delivered a note to the legislators to inform them of an alleged investigation into the elected officials.

"His response and the use of the Federal Bureau against us is precisely why we created the video," she said at an event in her home state.

"He thinks in using the national government against his perceived adversaries, and he's not hesitant to utilize the arms of the administration against individuals he opposes," she said, characterizing Trump's behavior as "intimidation."

Congressional Reaction

Similarly, Congress members Deluzio, Goodlander, Houlahan and Crow asserted that the President is using the Federal Bureau as "tool to pressure and target" legislators, confirming that the Federal Bureau reached out to the Congressional security officials to request meetings.

"We swore an pledge to support and defend the founding document of the United States. That commitment is permanent, and we intend to keep it. We will not be bullied. We will never give up the ship," they stated.

Presidential Reaction

The video - in which the Arizona senator accused the administration of "pitting our armed forces and intelligence community personnel against American citizens" - provoked the President's ire and he suggested on online platforms that they be detained, locked up and executed.

His words received bipartisan censure and the president eventually walked back his statements in a TV interview, clarifying that he was "not threatening capital punishment."

Pentagon Action

On Monday, the Defense Department alleged Senator Kelly, a previous captain in the Navy and astronaut, of violating military law. The military leadership said it would perform a review to determine whether the state senator should be returned to active duty to face court-martial proceedings.

Although Kelly left from the armed forces, he is still bound by the military legal code - a federal law established by the legislature in 1951 that subjects members of the military to a special set of regulations.

Military Secretary Comment

Defence secretary Pete Hegseth charged Kelly of violating the military code and of employing his rank and military background as a way to lend "the appearance of legitimacy to his statements" in the recording.

He added that Kelly's behavior "casts doubt upon the armed forces and will be addressed properly."

Legislator Kelly's

But the Arizona senator also responded, stating that he has "devoted too much to this country to be intimidated by intimidators who care more about their own power than protecting the founding document."

Accounts suggested on the following day that the FBI and Department of Justice contacted Congressional security to arrange interviews with the six members of Congress.

The FBI declined to comment on that day when contacted by news organizations.