# Duty not to follow unlawful orders--extends to top generals and president?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duty-not-to-follow-unlawful-orders-extends-to-top-generals-and-president/775439>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 23, 2016, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duty-not-to-follow-unlawful-orders-extends-to-top-generals-and-president/775439 "2016-12-23T14:12:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duty-not-to-follow-unlawful-orders-extends-to-top-generals-and-president/775439/1 "2016-12-23T14:12:07Z")

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If the president gives an unlawful order to his generals, I am guessing they have a duty not to follow those orders. Is that correct?

What would some examples of potential unlawful orders be? The president ordering it doesn’t _make_ it legal, does it?

I ask because holy crap donald

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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duty-not-to-follow-unlawful-orders-extends-to-top-generals-and-president/775439/2 "2016-12-23T14:27:16Z")

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> [@Frylock](#):
>
> I ask because holy crap donald

Moderator Note

If you want to ask a question in GQ, don’t poison the well with political jabs in the OP itself. I’m closing this.

In any case, this question will almost certainly devolve into a discussion of potential actions by Trump. Therefore I suggest you open a new thread in GD.

Colibri  
General Questions Moderator