President Donald Trump on Thursday (20 November) assailed Democratic lawmakers who told members of U.S. military they must refuse any illegal orders, calling them traitors and saying they should face the death penalty.
U.S. President Donald Trump reposted an article about a video released Tuesday by six Democratic lawmakers who served in the military or in the intelligence community.
"SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!" the Republican president wrote in a Truth Social post.
"This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country," Trump wrote in an earlier post.
"Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???," he added.
At a news briefing later, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said "no" when asked whether the president wanted to execute members of Congress, but she castigated the Democrats for encouraging members of the military to defy the chain of command.
The lawmakers include Senators Elissa Slotkin, a former CIA analyst and Iraq war veteran, and Mark Kelly, a former astronaut and Navy veteran, as well as Representatives Jason Crow, Maggie Goodlander, Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan.
In the video, they directly address members of the U.S. military and intelligence community, saying the Trump administration was pitting those institutions against the American people and threatening tenets of the U.S. Constitution.
"We know you are under enormous stress and pressure right now," they said.
"Our laws are clear: You can refuse illegal orders," said Kelly of Arizona. The other lawmakers offer a similar refrain before Slotkin concluded:
The lawmakers did not refer to any particular incident or scenario, and did not provide any examples of orders that they might consider illegal.
After Trump's post, Slotkin wrote on X that she and her colleagues would continue to defend the Constitution.
"No threat, intimidation, or call for violence will deter us from that sacred obligation," the Michigan senator added.
For civilians, U.S. law has no provision for a charge of sedition, although "seditious conspiracy" carries a maximum penalty of 20 years. For troops, the Uniform Code of Military Justice includes a section on sedition, with possible penalties including death.
Some Democrats in Congress have been sharply critical of Trump's military strikes on suspected drug traffickers in the southern Caribbean and the Pacific, focusing on the legality and lack of transparency. There have also been concerns that Trump will launch an attack on Venezuela itself.
Democrats have also challenged Trump's attempts to deploy National Guard personnel to support immigration crackdowns in U.S. cities.
"Calling for the execution of senators and members of Congress for reminding our troops of that is chilling behaviour we should expect from authoritarians ... not the president of the United States," Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, said in a statement.
"Every one of my Republican colleagues needs to stand up and swiftly condemn this," he said.
Numerous Republican senators on Thursday declined to comment on Trump’s remarks.
“Well, that's his opinion,” said Senator Tim Sheehy, a Montana Republican and former U.S. Navy SEAL.
Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, told reporters he "hated" the Democrats’ video but called Trump's reaction to their message "over the top."
"This is the most irresponsible thing I’ve seen from members of Congress, period, but what the president said I don’t agree with," Graham said.
Senator Chuck Schumer, who leads his chamber's Democrats, called Trump's posts an outright threat.
"When Donald Trump uses the language of execution and treason, some of his supporters may very well listen," Schumer said in the Senate. "He is lighting a match soaked with gasoline."
"We need you to stand up for our laws, our Constitution. Don't give up the ship."
Trump's posts are the latest example of him calling for punishment of those he sees as political enemies. Since returning to the presidency in January, Trump has occasionally called for imprisoning adversaries and his Justice Department has targeted critics such as former federal officials John Bolton and James Comey.
In November 2021, Trump defended the chants of his supporters who called for hanging Vice President Mike Pence as they stormed the U.S. Capitol in a deadly riot on 6 January of that year.
Top Democrats in Congress said Trump's words could incite violence and that they had contacted U.S. Capitol Police to ensure the Democratic lawmakers' safety.
Many Republicans were silent on the matter.
U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have arrived in Moscow for peace talks on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, two people familiar wi...
An Iranian tanker was hit by U.S. forces on Saturday near Iran's key oil export hub, Kharg Island, in the Gulf...
Spanish authorities are preparing a new site in Ceuta to accommodate hundreds of migrants who remain on the str...
U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will visit Russia then Ukraine over the weekend, Russian state news agency TASS has reported, citing an unnamed source. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also said American envoys will visit the capitals of both countries.
U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have arrived in Moscow for peace talks on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, two people familiar with the matter said. They were met by Russian Presidential Envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
U.S. efforts to squeeze Iran’s economy through an oil blockade and sanctions are becoming increasingly difficult for Tehran to withstand, according to three senior Iranian sources. Washington is escalating pressure in hopes of securing concessions in future negotiations.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 4th of September, covering the latest developments.
Two people have been rescued alive from a tunnel in Nepal, nine days after catastrophic floods devastated the country, as rescuers continue searching for survivors.
A Chinese national was pulled alive from a tunnel in Nepal on Saturday, authorities said, 10 days after a wall of ice, rock and mud tore through a Himalayan valley, killing more than 1,300 people and leaving more than 5,600 missing.
U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have arrived in Moscow for peace talks on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, two people familiar with the matter said. They were met by Russian Presidential Envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
Spanish authorities are preparing a new site in Ceuta to accommodate hundreds of migrants who remain on the streets following large-scale arrivals in July, local media reported Saturday.
At least two people were killed and dozens injured on Friday after an explosion at a military barracks in the Bolivian municipality of Viacha, about 30 km (20 miles) from La Paz, Defence Minister Ernesto Justiniano said.
The resolution, sponsored by African countries and led by Togo, passed by 164 votes to one, with six abstentions. The United States was the only country to vote against it.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment