Former President Donald Trump sparks yet another intense controversy on Thursday after calling for the execution of several Democratic lawmakers, whom he labeled "traitors" for encouraging U.S. military members to refuse illegal orders.
The incident began when a group of six Democratic lawmakers, all veterans of the U.S. military or intelligence community, released a video on social media. In the clip, they directly addressed service members, stating, "You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders". The lawmakers, including Senator Elissa Slotkin and Senator Mark Kelly, argued that the Trump administration was "pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens" and urged vigilance to protect the Constitution.
In response, Donald Trump took to his Truth Social platform to launch a series of posts. He first wrote, "This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country. Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???". Approximately forty minutes later, he followed with a more incendiary post stating, "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!". He also reposted a message from another user that encouraged him to "HANG THEM".
When asked about the president's posts, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended his rhetoric. She accused the Democratic legislators of delivering a "radical message" that could "disrupt the chain of command" and suggested their actions were "punishable by law". However, legal experts point out that U.S. law has not criminalized "sedition" since the relevant act was repealed in 1920. Furthermore, the modern statute for "seditious conspiracy" carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, not death. The Democratic lawmakers argued that they were simply restating well-established military law, which requires soldiers to refuse unlawful orders.
This is not the first time Trump has suggested death or imprisonment for political opponents. In 2023, he said his former top military officer, Mark Milley, deserved death for his actions. During the January 6th Capitol riot, he reportedly expressed support for chants calling for the hanging of his own vice president, Mike Pence. More recently, he has publicly pressured his Attorney General to prosecute other political critics, including former FBI Director James Comey and Senator Adam Schiff.
The Democratic Party and the lawmakers targeted by Trump's posts reacted with defiance and condemnation. The Democratic Party called the threats "absolutely vile". In a joint statement, the six veterans in the video said that no threat would deter them from their "sacred obligation" to the Constitution. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer accused Trump of "lighting a match in a country soaked with political gasoline," warning that some supporters might act on his violent language.