🔗 Share this article

Lawmakers from the Democratic party expressed outrage after Donald Trump accused a coalition of Democratic congress members of being "traitors" and asserted they should be detained and sentenced "by death" following their release of a disputed video.

The Content That Provoked the Dispute

The recorded message, released on Tuesday, includes six Democratic elected officials who previously served in military or defense capacities.

"Like us, you all made an oath to defend and support this constitution," the lawmakers declared in the brief video. "Currently, the risks to our governing document are not only from foreign nations, but from right here at home. Our regulations are explicit, you can refuse unlawful commands, you can reject unlawful commands, you have to decline improper directives. No one has to carry out orders that break the legal system or our constitution."

Donald Trump's Furious Reply

The video message appeared to provoke a furious reaction from the former president.

On Thursday morning, Trump posted on his preferred platform: "This constitutes SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. Each one of these turncoats to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL."

In another message, he wrote: "This is really concerning, and Risky to our Country. Their statements cannot be enabled to remain. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???"

In a subsequent post, he stated: "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, liable by DEATH!" He also redistributed a statement that said: "HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!"

Democratic Representatives Answer

Following Trump's statements on that day, House Democratic leader issued a unified statement condemning the remarks.

"Violent politics has no position in the United States," they declared. "Representatives who appeared in the video all acted our nation with tremendous patriotism and honor. We strongly denounce Donald Trump's offensive and harmful threats of violence against members of Congress, and appeal to GOP representatives to forcefully do the same."

The opposition officials also mentioned that they had been in contact with protective services "to guarantee the protection of these members and their relatives."

"Donald Trump must immediately take down these unhinged social media posts and retract his violent rhetoric before he gets someone killed," the declaration stated.

Officials' Defiant Response

The officials who appeared in the video also released a declaration.

"We identify as veterans and security experts who care for this nation and made an oath to safeguard and defend the national charter of the United States," they declared. "Our pledge is permanent, and we aim to keep it. No warning, pressure, or promotion of aggression will stop us from that sacred duty."

"The most revealing aspect is that the president considers it punishable by death for us to repeat the statutes," they stated. "Military personnel should know that we have their protection as they execute their vow to the national charter and responsibility to adhere to only proper directives. It is not only the right thing to do, but also our responsibility."

They continued: "Every American must come together and condemn the ex-president's demands for our execution and ideological conflict. This is a moment for ethical certainty."

More Governmental Responses

The Democratic Senate minority leader also condemned Trump's remarks and posted on online networks: "We must be absolutely clear: the President of the United States is calling for the death of public representatives."

He added: "This constitutes an clear THREAT. Every Senator, every Representative, every American – regardless of party – should censure this immediately and unconditionally."

The Republican House speaker justified Trump's claim that the Democrats had participated in "sedition", describing the video as "extremely improper", commenting: "This constitutes very risky, you have important representatives of Congress telling troops to disobey orders, I think that is unprecedented in US history."

The Conservative representative also reportedly told the press that in what he reviewed of Trump's posts, Trump was "explaining the violation of sedition" but that "lawyers have to parse the terminology and determine all that."

White House Reaction

During a executive branch meeting on that day, when asked by a reporter, "Would the president want to put to death congressional representatives?", the White House press secretary responded: "Certainly not."

"We should understand about what the president is reacting to," the official said. "We see active officials of the federal government who worked together to organize a video message to individuals of the American armed forces, to active duty service members advising them to ignore the executive's legal commands."

She stated: "The purity of our defense system relies on the hierarchy, and if that chain of command is compromised, it can result in casualties, it can result in confusion, and precisely what these elected officials ... are essentially encouraging."