Trump Accuses Democratic Lawmakers of Sedition Over Military Video
President Trump has accused six Democratic lawmakers of 'seditious behavior' after they released a video urging military personnel to refuse illegal orders, suggesting such actions are punishable by death.
President Donald Trump has accused six Democratic lawmakers of "seditious behavior" following their release of a video urging military personnel to refuse illegal orders. The lawmakers, all veterans or former intelligence officials, emphasized the duty of service members to uphold the Constitution.
In a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump labeled the lawmakers as "traitors" and suggested that their actions could be "punishable by death." He stated, "It's called SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL."
The video, posted on Tuesday, features Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, and Representatives Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, and Jason Crow of Colorado. They addressed military and intelligence officers, stating, "You must refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution."
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, when asked if the president was advocating for the execution of members of Congress, responded, "No." She added that the video was "perhaps punishable by law" and that the matter would be left to the Department of Justice and the Department of War to decide.
The Democratic lawmakers defended their message, emphasizing the importance of adhering to lawful orders. Representative Chrissy Houlahan stated, "We said that people cannot — literally cannot — obey unlawful orders. That’s what we said."
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other Democratic leaders condemned Trump's statements, describing them as "disgusting and dangerous death threats against Members of Congress." Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed concern that such rhetoric could incite violence, stating, "The president of the United States is calling for the execution of elected officials. This is an outright threat, and it’s deadly serious."
The incident has intensified discussions about political rhetoric and its potential to incite violence, especially in light of recent high-profile attacks targeting political figures.
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