Veterans' Billboard Sparks Controversy Outside California Naval Base
A provocative new billboard placed outside Naval Base San Diego by the San Diego Veterans for Peace organization is directly urging military servicemembers to reject any orders they believe to be illegal from their superiors. The sign, located on Harbor Drive in Barrio Logan, features stark text against a backdrop of snowy mountains and a bald eagle, reading: "Active Duty & National Guard: You have a duty to refuse illegal orders."
Campaign Reminds Troops of Constitutional Responsibilities
In an official statement released on Wednesday, the Hugh Thompson Memorial Chapter #91 of San Diego Veterans for Peace explained that the billboard aims to remind active-duty troops of their fundamental duty to disobey instructions they consider unlawful. An affiliated activist emphasized on Instagram that the campaign seeks "to remind our brothers and sisters, sons and daughter[s] and grandchildren who have joined the military that they have the right and the responsibility to refuse illegal orders, and that we will support them when they do."
The group provided specific examples of what they classify as illegal orders, including:
- Unconstitutional deployments to American cities to support immigration enforcement actions or suppress peaceful protests
- Participation in what they describe as "illegal regime change wars" against nations like Venezuela and Iran
- Orders to ship weapons to Israel for use against Palestinian populations
- Commands to attack civilians or engage in torture and killing of prisoners of war
Growing Movement Against Questionable Military Orders
This billboard follows similar displays by nonprofit organizations Defiance.org and WhistleblowerAid.org near MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, last December. Those signs opposed Trump administration strikes on alleged drug vessels in Caribbean and Pacific waters. Since that time, geopolitical developments including the removal of Nicolas Maduro from power in Venezuela and the commencement of Operation Epic Fury—joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes against Iran—have significantly increased pressure on military personnel regarding questionable orders.
The veterans' message aligns with concerns expressed by a bipartisan group of lawmakers with military backgrounds who appeared in a controversial video last year. These legislators, including Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin, Colorado Representative Jason Crow, Pennsylvania Representatives Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan, and New Hampshire Representative Maggie Goodlander, similarly appealed to Armed Forces members to refuse unlawful commands.
Political Backlash and Legal Challenges
Former President Donald Trump reacted furiously to the lawmakers' video, accusing them of sedition "punishable by DEATH" in a Truth Social post. The Department of Justice subsequently attempted, unsuccessfully, to have the group indicted by a grand jury.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attempted to censure Senator Kelly—a former Navy pilot—by demoting him from his retired rank of captain and reducing his retirement pay. This move was ultimately blocked in court. Kelly condemned the effort as "an outrageous abuse of power" by the president "and his lackies," adding: "It wasn't enough for Pete Hegseth to censure me and threaten to demote me, now it appears they tried to have me charged with a crime—all because of something I said that they didn't like. That's not the way things work in America."
The billboard campaign represents a growing tension between military obedience and constitutional principles, highlighting deep concerns among veterans about potential unlawful commands being issued to American servicemembers.
