'Politically motivated influence operation:' Now FBI begins review of video from 'Seditious Six' * WorldNetDaily * by Bob Unruh
The Pentagon is reviewing allegations against Kelly after he participated in a video about refusing illegal military orders.
SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYCredibility rates WorldNetDaily, where this article appeared. The other scores rate the article itself.
WorldNetDaily is an opinion-forward, strongly partisan outlet, and this article uses loaded framing and offers limited independent confirmation of the reported inquiry. It does attribute some claims to officials and other outlets, but provides little context or response beyond the lawmakers’ statements.
- Source type — A partisan national outlet; its institutional reputation warrants a low score despite the national-news classification.
- Editorial standards — The article uses loaded language such as “stunt” and “undermining” rather than consistently separating reporting from judgment.
- Transparency — It attributes some reporting to KDVR and the Washington Examiner and quotes official statements, but provides limited sourcing detail.
- Author attribution — A named author is identified.
The article includes attributed statements from lawmakers, the FBI director and the Department of War, but the FBI inquiry is described largely through lawmakers’ accounts and the article supplies little independent confirmation or response. Its loaded wording, thin context and apparent text errors reduce precision and balance.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article includes Crow’s and Slotkin’s accounts of the inquiry, but its language and selection of detail strongly favor the administration’s criticism of the video. It provides little explanation of the lawmakers’ position or independent confirmation of the inquiry’s scope.
- Loaded language — The article’s own narration characterizes the video as a “stunt” and as undermining command structure.
- Counterarguments presented — The lawmakers’ accounts are included, but their substantive rationale for the video is not developed.
- Source diversity — Includes statements from lawmakers and administration officials, but offers limited independent reporting or analysis.
- Omitted context — Does not explain the legal or military procedures for determining whether an order is unlawful.
The article frames the lawmakers’ video as a threat to military discipline and repeatedly adopts critical language about their conduct. Hegseth’s condemnation receives extensive space, while the lawmakers’ explanation and the status of the FBI inquiry receive limited treatment.
- Language tone — Uses evaluative terms including “stunt,” “undermining” and “despicable.”
- Framing — Presents the video chiefly as an effort to disrupt military protocols and attack Trump.
- Source selection — Gives extended space to Hegseth’s criticism and includes little context supporting the lawmakers’ position.
- Headline — The headline foregrounds an “influence operation” characterization rather than a neutral description of the inquiry.
Original publisher not identified
This article may be republished from another publisher, which has not been identified, so the scores are WorldNetDaily's own.
The article reports that the FBI may be looking into a video by six Democratic lawmakers urging service members to refuse illegal orders, while the Pentagon reviews allegations against Sen. Mark Kelly. The FBI chief declined to comment, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the video a politically motivated influence operation.
The article says the Pentagon has begun reviewing allegations against Mark Kelly, including the possibility that he could be recalled to active duty. It reports that the FBI is working to interview the other five lawmakers. Rep. Jason Crow said the FBI inquiry appeared to be an effort to intimidate and harass members of Congress, while Sen. Elissa Slotkin said the FBI’s counterterrorism division had notified the lawmakers that it was opening an inquiry. FBI chief Kash Patel declined to comment because the matter was ongoing.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth criticized the video, saying it did not identify a specific illegal order and could create doubt about military command procedures. The article also quotes the Department of War’s statement that it was reviewing the allegations against Kelly under military law.
Community verdict
12 VOTESCounts every outlet’s report of this story. See all 34
- Readers of left-leaning coverage: not enough votes yet
- Readers of right-leaning coverage: 60% good look
Votes cast on this page
Votes cast on this page: ▲ 0 · ◆ 0 · ▼ 0
People in this story
SWIPE →Representative and participant in the video who described the FBI inquiry
Crow's version of this story ↗Senator and participant in the video who reported an FBI inquiry notice
Slotkin's version of this story ↗President criticized by Crow and the subject of the video’s warning about illegal orders
Secretary of Defense who criticized the video
Representative and participant in the video
Representative and participant in the video
Representative and participant in the video
Part of a bigger story
27 OUTLETS- ARTICLES
- 34
- OUTLETS
- 27
- AVG CRED
- 62
- Breitbart · Senator Mark Kelly Can't Name Any Illegal Orders But Tells Jimmy Kimmel He's 'Not Backing Down' on Urging Military to Refuse Them from Trump
- twitchy.com · How Dare You Do That! Stephen A. Smith Goes Totally BALLISTIC on Mark Kelly and the Seditious Six
- Latin Times · Steve Bannon Urges Trump Admin To Arrest Mark Kelly Over Comments To Military Members: 'Throw Him In Prison By Monday'
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