A Dig at Trump? Billboards Near Florida Bases Urge US Troops to 'Obey Only Lawful Orders'

A series of billboards has appeared near US military bases in Florida, including MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa and installations near Doral, urging service members to 'obey only lawful orders'.

According to FLVoice, the sign is part of a campaign funded by nonprofit groups Defiance.org and WhistleblowerAid.org. They describe the initiative as a £41,000 ($50,000) effort to educate troops about their legal rights and offer independent legal support. Former Department of Homeland Security chief of staff Miles Taylor, co-founder of Defiance.org, said the billboards serve as a 'constitutional alarm bell' to prevent service members from complying with illegal directives.

The campaign also uses mobile ads, fitness club postings and gas-pump screens to saturate communities surrounding the bases.

Former Obama social media strategist Scott Goodstein explained that the goal is to ensure troops encounter this guidance repeatedly, saying: 'You see media 360. You see media on your phone. You look up from your phone, you're going to see media on the billboard... So we want to surround the areas and the neighborhoods and communities that are impacted the most by this'.

Is the Billboard Controversially Digging at Trump?

Many users expressed anger or disbelief over the campaign on X, claiming it implicitly criticises US President Trump or challenges his authority. But the majority of commenters believe it's not a controversial dig at Trump if it's the truth. Some comments include 'This is not controversial. Only a criminal would call it controversial' and 'When a president's orders and the law disagree, the law wins, every single time'.

'Only someone making unlawful orders would get offended by people telling military soldiers to follow the law', another user wrote. Commenters argued that the billboard's message aligns with existing military law and the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), which already requires troops to follow lawful orders. They contended that the 'controversy' is manufactured by those assuming the signs are anti-Trump, when they are simply against unlawful orders.

Other users praised the campaign as a reminder of fundamental military principles. 'This billboard should be placed by all US military bases,' one wrote. 'Encouraging people to follow the law is now 'controversial' to MAGA...,' said another, referencing Trump's recent military orders to US troops at sea.

These posts emphasised that the message does not mention Trump or any political figure and is intended purely as a legal and ethical guideline. Many highlighted historical lessons, referencing the Nuremberg Trials, when soldiers used the defence of 'just following orders' to justify war crimes.

A Message to All Military Personnel

Several users addressed misinterpretations of the billboard, noting that it simply reiterates standard military training rather than urging defiance against a particular leader. 'Trump isn't mentioned on the billboard though. What makes you think it refers to him?'

Replying to comments asking if it's about Trump, a commenter also suggested, 'This isn't anti-Trump or pro-Trump. It's a reminder of a basic military principle: unlawful orders must never be followed'. Commentators who introduced themselves as veterans and in the legal industry said that following unlawful orders has historically resulted in prosecution and that reminding troops of their oaths is routine, not subversive.

The billboards follow recent US airstrikes in the Caribbean and Latin America, which some lawmakers have questioned as illegal under international law. Organisers say the campaign's location near Doral reflects its proximity to President Trump's golf course, while Tampa was chosen for Southern Command and Special Operations bases. Groups that launched the campaign have plans to expand the campaign to other military installations.