Former President Donald Trump has escalated his rhetoric against political opponents, accusing six Democratic lawmakers of “seditious behaviour, punishable by death” after they released a video urging U.S. service members to refuse unlawful orders.
The controversy began when a group of Democrats—all veterans or former intelligence officials—shared a public service message reminding troops of their constitutional obligations. In the video, figures like former Navy officer and astronaut Senator Mark Kelly stated, “Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders… No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution.” The message warned that threats to the Constitution “aren’t just coming from abroad but from right here at home.”
Trump responded on his Truth Social platform with a series of posts, labeling the lawmakers “traitors” and calling for severe consequences.
“This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country… SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???,” he wrote in one post. In another, he explicitly stated the behavior was “punishable by DEATH!” He also reposted a message reading, “HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!”
The targeted lawmakers—including Rep. Jason Crow and Sen. Elissa Slotkin—issued a joint statement condemning Trump’s remarks as dangerous threats against elected officials. “No threat, intimidation, or call for violence will deter us from that sacred obligation,” they stated.
At a White House press briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Trump’s response, rejecting the characterization that he was calling for executions. Instead, she shifted focus to the Democrats’ video, accusing them of encouraging military personnel to defy “lawful orders.”
The incident marks a significant escalation in political tensions, placing the U.S. military—and the oath its members swear to the Constitution—at the center of a heated partisan conflict.
By James Kisoo
