Catholic Leaders Say Troops May Morally Refuse Orders

LEAD: Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, head of the Archdiocese for the Military Services USA, said it "would be morally acceptable" for service members to disobey orders that violate their conscience in remarks to the BBC this weekend, The Washington Post reported.

CONTEXT: Broglio's comments came as President Donald Trump's repeated threats to annex Greenland and recent U.S. military actions related to Venezuela prompted public rebukes from Pope Leo XIV and a joint statement on Monday by Cardinals Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago; Robert McElroy, archbishop of Washington, D.C.; and Joseph Tobin, archbishop of Newark, according to the cardinals' statement.

RESPONSE: Cardinals Blase Cupich, Robert McElroy and Joseph Tobin said in their joint statement that "the moral foundation for America's actions in the world" is under question and that "military action must be seen only as a last resort," the statement shows.

SCALE: Six Democratic lawmakers—Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, Reps. Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Rep. Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire and Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado—released a video in November urging service members to refuse unlawful orders, and lawmakers and Pentagon officials confirmed the Justice Department has sought interviews with some participants while the Pentagon moved to demote retired Navy Captain Mark Kelly, according to the lawmakers and Pentagon records.

FORWARD: President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, next week where his Greenland plans are expected to be discussed with European leaders, and legal and personnel inquiries into the video participants and Pentagon actions remain ongoing, according to official statements and media reports.