Trump Calls for the Arrest and Possible Execution of Six Democratic Lawmakers

By Brian Daitzman

President Donald Trump on Thursday called for six Democratic lawmakers to be arrested, put on trial, and executed following the release of a video in which they urged U.S. service members and intelligence personnel to refuse illegal orders.

In multiple posts on Truth Social, Trump described their actions as “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR” and said such conduct was “punishable by DEATH.” He also reposted a user’s message stating, “HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!”

The video featured Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado, Rep. Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Rep. Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire and Rep. Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania.

Each has a military or national security background. The group said in the video that service members swear an oath to the Constitution and are required by law to disobey unlawful commands. “Our laws are clear,” one of them said. “You can refuse illegal orders.”

Trump wrote on Thursday morning that the lawmakers were “traitors,” adding, “Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL. Their words cannot be allowed to stand — We won’t have a Country anymore!!! An example MUST BE SET.” He later added that their conduct constituted “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH.”

The White House did not amend or retract the statements. Trump continued to criticize the video, calling it “really bad, and Dangerous to our Country.”

Administration officials addressed the video later in the day. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Justice Department would take “a very close look” at the lawmakers’ actions and called the video “a disgusting and inappropriate display of supposed leadership.”

Stephen Miller, a senior adviser to Trump, said in a Fox News interview that the video amounted to “inciting insurrection.”

House Democratic leadership responded with a joint statement. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Whip Katherine Clark and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar said Trump’s posts were “disgusting and dangerous death threats” and asked him to remove them. They also called on Republican leaders to denounce the statements. Their office said they contacted the House sergeant at arms and the U.S. Capitol Police to ensure the safety of the lawmakers named in Trump’s posts.

The six lawmakers did not issue public responses as of Thursday afternoon. Their video did not reference the president. Slotkin shared the message on X, writing “Don’t give up the ship,” and said that threats to the Constitution can originate inside the country as well as abroad.

The statements from the president came during a period when National Guard troops have been deployed or federalized in several cities, including Washington, Chicago and Portland. The administration has described those deployments as efforts to address violent crime and expedite deportations. Democratic officials in several states and municipalities have argued in lawsuits that the deployments exceed presidential authority.

Trump’s posts drew comments from legal scholars, national security analysts and lawmakers from both parties.

Several constitutional law experts said it is unusual for a sitting president to call for the arrest or possible execution of members of Congress. Some said the language in the posts has few direct parallels in recent U.S. political history.

Brian Daitzman is the Editor of The Intellectualist. Read the original article here.

Share

References

• Politico | Nov 20, 2025 | “Trump calls for Democratic lawmakers to face trial for ‘seditious behavior’” | https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/11/20/congress/trump-democratic-lawmakers-sedition-00661504

• Reuters | Nov 20, 2025 | “Trump says Democrats who told US military to refuse illegal orders deserve death” | https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-says-democrats-who-told-us-military-refuse-illegal-orders-deserve-death-2025-11-20/

• Associated Press | Nov 20, 2025 | “Trump says Democrats’ video message to military is ‘seditious behavior’ punishable by death” | https://apnews.com/article/c5fc3c5bd2fbc6b1204550e4203c24b2

• TIME Magazine | Nov 20, 2025 | “Trump Calls for Arrests of Democrats Who Urged Troops to Refuse Illegal Orders: ‘Seditious Behavior, Punishable by Death’” | https://time.com/7335430/trump-democrats-arrest-sedition-military-illegal-orders-video/

• CNN (Syndicated via KeyT) | Nov 20, 2025 | “Trump accuses Democratic lawmakers who urged military to disobey illegal orders of ‘seditious behavior’ punishable by death” | https://keyt.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2025/11/20/trump-accuses-democratic-lawmakers-who-urged-military-to-disobey-illegal-orders-of-seditious-behavior-punishable-by-death/

• Financial Times | Nov 20, 2025 | “Trump accuses Democrats of ‘seditious behaviour’ punishable by death over video” | https://www.ft.com/content/d2c94d2b-4df5-44f3-911e-d321937a2e7f

• NOTUS | Nov 20, 2025 | “Trump Reposts Calls for Hanging Democratic Lawmakers After Video on Illegal Orders” | https://www.notus.org/trump-white-house/donald-trump-truth-social-posts-democratic-lawmakers-video-illegal-order

• Mediaite | Nov 20, 2025 | “‘Punishable by DEATH’: Trump Calls for Democrats Who Urged Soldiers to Refuse Illegal Orders to Be Arrested and Put on Trial” | https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/an-example-must-be-set-trump-calls-for-democrats-who-urged-soldiers-to-disobey-illegal-orders-to-be-arrested-and-put-on-trial/

• Yahoo News | Nov 20, 2025 | “Trump Suggests Executing Democrats Who Told Troops to Obey Constitution” | https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-suggests-executing-dems-told-153152088.html

• ABC News (Australia) | Nov 21, 2025 | “Trump floats death penalty for Democrats after military refuse orders video” | https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-21/trump-floats-death-penalty-for-democrats-military-refuse-orders/106035314

• Daily Beast | Nov 20, 2025 | “Stephen Miller Melts Down at Dems Telling Troops to Refuse Illegal Orders” | https://www.thedailybeast.com/stephen-miller-melts-down-at-dems-telling-troops-to-refuse-illegal-orders/

• Associated Press | Nov 18, 2025 | “Hundreds of National Guard troops deployed to Portland and Chicago are being sent home” | https://apnews.com/article/cd6e585615422461d7088b8ed04bb974

• The Guardian | Oct 24, 2025 | “Judge rejects Trump order to deploy ICE in Portland, calling it unlawful” | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/24/portland-judge-rejects-trump-ice

• National Lawyers Guild Military Law Task Force | Jun 17, 2025 | “FAQs on refusing illegal orders” | https://nlgmltf.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Illegal-Orders-FAQ-17JUN2025.pdf

• Retired Four-Star Admirals & Generals (SCOTUS Amicus Brief) | 2024–25 Term | “Brief for Retired Admirals and Generals as Amici Curiae” | https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/23/23-939/307029/20240408130715170_No.%2023-939bsacRetiredFour-StarAdmiralsAndGenerals.pdf

  ---

Shows

Inside MAGA’s Campaign of Stochastic Terrorism | The Enemies List with Rick Wilson

Rick Wilson · Jun 16

Political violence doesn’t emerge in a vacuum — MAGA has built a system of terror out of manufactured rage and conspiracy. The assassinations and attempted assassinations in Minnesota over the weekend are the logical result of this effort. Fox News, Facebook, and X are the hypodermic needles injecting the MAGA base with vile hatred, allowing them to see…

Read full story

The Intellectualist The Intellectualist Substack delivers fact-based analysis and thoughtful commentary focused on defending democracy and fostering informed public discourse. At a time when truth and civic engagement are under threat, it serves as a vital platform.