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Democratic legislators who encouraged US troops to ignore unlawful orders are now responding to what they call a federal inquiry into their conduct.

Alert of Investigation

Democrat Legislator Elissa Slotkin of the state of Michigan announced that the Federal Bureau of Investigation on the start of the week informed the half-dozen congressional members who appeared in recent recording about the investigation.

"No amount of pressure or harassment will ever stop us from doing our jobs and honoring our Constitution," four US House members declared.

Presidential Response

Their statement to military members led to US President Trump to allege the Democratic lawmakers of "treasonous conduct, punishable by death" and initiated a Defense Department examination of "serious allegations of misconduct" against Democratic Legislator Mark Kelly of Arizona, who also appeared in the recording.

The Justice Department declined to comment on the alleged investigation.

Recording Details

The video by Democratic officials, all of whom have worked in the armed forces or national security sector, was distributed last week by the Michigan senator and includes Senator Kelly and Congress members Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander, Chrissy Houlahan and Jason Crow.

The message emerged amid increasing tensions between the Trump administration and the government of Venezuela, as well as Democratic-controlled municipalities resisting Trump's sending of state military forces to the area.

FBI Involvement

Slotkin said on Tuesday that the FBI's counterterrorism unit delivered a note to the Congress members to inform them of an alleged inquiry into the elected officials.

"The President's reaction and the deployment of the FBI against us is exactly why we made the recording," she said at an event in her home state.

"He thinks in using the federal government against his perceived adversaries, and he's not afraid to utilize the arms of the administration against people he disagrees with," she commented, describing Trump's behavior as "intimidation."

Legislative Reaction

Similarly, US representatives Deluzio, Goodlander, Houlahan and Crow asserted that the President is employing the Federal Bureau as "tool to intimidate and target" legislators, verifying that the Federal Bureau contacted the House and Senate Sergeants at Arms to request interviews.

"We swore an oath to support and protect the Constitution of the United States. That commitment is permanent, and we intend to honor it. We won't be intimidated. We refuse to give up the ship," they declared.

Executive Response

The video - in which the Arizona senator accused the administration of "setting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against the American people" - provoked the President's ire and he implied on online platforms that they be arrested, locked up and executed.

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

Pentagon Response

On the start of the week, the Defense Department accused the Arizona legislator, a former officer in the US Navy and astronaut, of violating armed forces regulations. The defence department announced it would conduct a examination to determine whether the state senator should be recalled to active duty to undergo military judicial process.

Even though the senator left from the armed forces, he is still bound by the military legal code - a national legislation enacted by the legislature in 1951 that holds personnel of the armed forces to a special set of regulations.

Defense Leader Comment

Military leader Pete Hegseth accused Kelly of violating the UCMJ and of using his position and military background as a way to provide "the impression of legitimacy to his statements" in the video.

He added that the senator's behavior "brings discredit upon the armed forces and will be addressed appropriately."

Legislator Response

But the Arizona senator likewise responded, stating that he has "given significant service to this country to be intimidated by intimidators who prioritize their own authority than defending the founding document."

Reports suggested on Tuesday that the Federal Bureau and Justice Department reached out to Congressional security to arrange meetings with the six legislators.

The FBI refused to comment on Tuesday when contacted by media outlets.