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OUTRAGE AFTER TRUMP ACCUSES DEMOCRATS OF ‘SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR,
PUNISHABLE BY DEATH’  
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Anna Betts
November 20, 2025
The Guardian
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_ Trump roundly decried for Truth Social post after lawmakers told
military personnel to refuse illegal orders. Mike Johnson, the
Republican House speaker, defended Trump’s claim that the Democrats
had engaged in “sedition”. Watch original message. _

Trump at the Oval Office for a meeting with the Saudi crown prince on
Tuesday., Photograph: Nathan Howard/Pool/CNP/Shutterstock // The
Guardian

 

Democrats expressed outrage after Donald Trump
[[link removed]] accused a group of
Democratic lawmakers of engaging in “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable
by DEATH” and that they should be arrested after they posted a video
in which they told active service members they should refuse illegal
orders.

The video [[link removed]],
released on Tuesday, features six Democratic lawmakers who have
previously served in the military or in intelligence roles, including
senators Elissa Slotkin and Mark Kelly, and representatives Maggie
Goodlander, Chris Deluzio, Chrissy Houlahan and Jason Crow.

“Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend this
constitution,” the lawmakers said in the 90-second video. “And
right now, the threats to our constitution aren’t just coming from
abroad, but from right here at home. Our laws are clear, you can
refuse illegal orders, you can refuse illegal orders, you must refuse
illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or
our constitution.”

That seemed to prompt a furious response from the US president.

On Thursday morning, Trump wrote
[[link removed]]on
Truth Social: “It’s called SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST
LEVEL. Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED
AND PUT ON TRIAL.”

In another post
[[link removed]],
he wrote: “This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country. Their
words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!!
LOCK THEM UP??? President DJT.” In a third post, he added
[[link removed]]:
“SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” He also reposted a
statement that said: “HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!”

Following Trump’s statements on Thursday, House Democratic leader
Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic whip Katherine Clark and Democratic caucus
chair Pete Aguilar released a joint statement condemning the remarks.

“Political violence has no place in America,” they wrote.
“Representatives Jason Crow, Chris DeLuzio, Maggie Goodlander and
Chrissy Houlahan and Senators Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin all served
our country with tremendous patriotism and distinction. We
unequivocally condemn Donald Trump’s disgusting and dangerous death
threats against members of Congress, and call on House Republicans to
forcefully do the same.”

The Democratic leaders also said that they had been in contact with
the House sergeant at arms and the United States Capitol police “to
ensure the safety of these members and their families”.

“Donald Trump must immediately delete these unhinged social media
posts and recant his violent rhetoric before he gets someone
killed,” the statement added.

The lawmakers who appeared in the video also released a statement.

“We are veterans and national security professionals who love this
country and swore an oath to protect and defend the constitution of
the United States,” they said. “That oath lasts a lifetime, and we
intend to keep it. No threat, intimidation, or call for violence will
deter us from that sacred obligation.”

“What’s most telling is that the president considers it punishable
by death for us to restate the law,” they continued. “Our service
members should know that we have their backs as they fulfill their
oath to the constitution and obligation to follow only lawful orders.
It is not only the right thing to do, but also our duty.”

They added: “Every American must unite and condemn the president’s
calls for our murder and political violence. This is a time for moral
clarity.”

Chuck Schumer [[link removed]], the
Democratic Senate minority leader, also condemned Trump’s remarks
and posted on X [[link removed]]:
“Let’s be crystal clear: the President of the United States is
calling for the execution of elected officials.”

He added: “This is an outright THREAT. Every Senator, every
Representative, every American – regardless of party – should
condemn this immediately and without qualification.”

Mike Johnson, the Republican House speaker, defended
[[link removed]] Trump’s claim that
the Democrats had engaged in “sedition”, describing the video as
“wildly inappropriate”, adding: “It is very dangerous, you have
leading members of Congress telling troops to disobey orders, I think
that’s unprecedented in American history.”

Johnson also reportedly told the Independent
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that in what he read of Trump’s posts, Trump was “defining the
crime of sedition”.

“But obviously attorneys have to parse the language and determine
all that. What I’m saying, what I will say unequivocally, that was a
wildly inappropriate thing for so-called leaders in Congress to do to
encourage young troops to disobey orders,” Johnson added.

[White House asserts Trump doesn't want to execute Democratic
lawmakers – video]

1:03
 
White House asserts Trump doesn't want to execute Democratic lawmakers
– video

TO WATCH - CLICK HERE [[link removed]]

During a White House press conference on Thursday afternoon, when
asked by a reporter, “Does the president want to execute members of
Congress?”, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary,
responded [[link removed]]:
“No.”

“Let’s be clear about what the president is responding to,”
Leavitt said. “You have sitting members of the US Congress
[[link removed]] who conspired
together to orchestrate a video message to members of the US military,
to active duty service members encouraging them to defy the
president’s lawful orders.

She said: “The sanctity of our military rests on the chain of
command, and if that chain of command is broken, it can lead to people
getting killed, it can lead to chaos, and that’s what these members
of Congress … are essentially encouraging.”

_[ANNA BETTS is a breaking news reporter for Guardian US. Twitter
__@annabettss_
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]_

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Here is their original message to troops:

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TO WATCH - CLICK ON THE IMAGE
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* treason
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* Sedition
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* illegal orders
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* Donald Trump
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* Democratic lawmakers
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* Congress
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* Democrats
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* Democratic Party
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* Fascism
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* Authoritarianism
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* dictatorship
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* dictators
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* Kings
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* democracy
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* Democratic Rights
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* Free Speech
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* Bill of Rights
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* U.S. Military
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* National Guard
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