Nonprofit groups offer legal assistance to U.S. troops amid debate over boat strikes

Two nonprofit groups launched an ad campaign offering confidential advice to help U.S. troops who believe they may have received unlawful orders.

Two nonprofit groups launched an ad campaign Tuesday, offering legal information and confidential advice to help U.S. troops who believe they may have received unlawful orders.

The effort will include billboards saying “Obey Only Lawful Orders” and online messages providing links to organizations and information to ensure troops are aware of their rights and informed about their options, organizers told NBC News.

The move comes amid intense debate over the legality of the Trump administration’s military strikes against alleged drug smuggling boats in Latin America, which some lawmakers and legal experts say violate U.S. and international law.

“If you believe you’ve received a ‘manifestly unlawful order,’ you are protected by law and you are not alone,” reads one online message, addressed to “every U.S. service member.”

The campaign is led byDefiance.org, a nonprofit that vows to “defend democracy,” in partnership with Whistleblower Aid, a legal organization that says it helps public and private sector workers expose wrongdoing.