Public Backs Refusal of Unlawful Orders

An Economist/YouGov poll (Nov 28–Dec 1, 2025) finds more Americans approve of Democratic lawmakers urging U.S. soldiers to refuse unlawful orders than approve of President Trump calling those lawmakers seditious. The gap is substantive (net +8 for the lawmakers' message vs. net -33 for Trump's response) and shows large partisan intensity differences. — This signals a measurable public check on rhetoric that seeks to politicize military obedience and suggests political costs for leaders who brand refusal‑advocates as seditious.

Sources

The DSA’s Politicization of Public Office

Stu Smith 2026.05.11 80% relevant

The article describes Los Angeles Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez and Chicago Alderman Byron Sigcho‑Lopez building 'community defense' and 'rapid response' networks to deter ICE enforcement — concrete local efforts to enable or encourage refusal/cooperation resistance that map to the idea that public support and political actors can normalize refusal of (or noncooperation with) certain federal orders.

Americans are more sympathetic to Democratic lawmakers than to Trump in their dispute about illegal orders

2025.12.02 100% relevant

Economist/YouGov poll: 46% approve Democrats' message (34% strongly), 26% approve Trump's response (15% strongly); 61% of Democrats strongly approve the lawmakers' message while 84% of Democrats strongly disapprove of Trump's message.