US President Donald Trump recently sparked controversy after posting a series of messages on his social media platform, Truth Social, accusing a group of six Democratic lawmakers of "seditious behaviour, punishable by death." The lawmakers had released a video urging members of the US military to refuse unlawful orders, prompting a heated response from Trump. Following widespread bipartisan condemnation of his posts, Trump sought to clarify his remarks during a radio interview with Fox News, insisting that he was "not threatening death" but rather emphasizing the seriousness of the situation.
The six Democratic lawmakers involved in the video – all of whom have served in the military or intelligence community – include Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, and Representatives Chris DeLuzio, Maggie Goodlander, Chrissy Houlahan, and Jason Crow. The video they shared highlights the legal and constitutional duty of military personnel to refuse illegal orders. Senator Kelly, a former Navy officer and astronaut, states clearly, "Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders." The video criticizes the current administration for fostering division between uniformed military and intelligence professionals and American citizens, warning that threats to the Constitution are increasingly coming from within the country.
Trump’s initial reaction on Truth Social was aggressive and incendiary. He accused the lawmakers of engaging in the highest level of sedition, labeling them traitors who should be arrested and put on trial. One of his posts included the phrase "LOCK THEM UP???" followed by a repost of a message calling for the lawmakers to be hanged, with the added note "GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!" This rhetoric drew swift backlash from both Democrats and Republicans, who raised concerns about the potential encouragement of violence against elected officials.
In his Fox News interview, Trump attempted to soften the tone of his comments by saying, "I'm not threatening death, but I think they're in serious trouble." He explained that sedition is a grave accusation linked to treason and acknowledged the severity of making such claims. Trump also suggested that the US Defense Secretary and Deputy Attorney General had been prompted to investigate the matter. Despite this, the inflammatory nature of his social media posts continued to raise alarms among lawmakers and observers alike.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed discomfort with Trump’s choice of words, stating they were not ones he would have used. However, Johnson defended Trump’s broader point, describing it as an attempt to define the crime of sedition. He criticized the Democrats’ video as "wildly inappropriate" and "very dangerous." Johnson also dismissed the idea that Trump bore responsibility for escalating political hostility, noting that rhetoric across the political spectrum has grown heated. Republican Representative Blake Leavitt went further, accusing the Democrats of encouraging military personnel to defy lawful orders and suggesting that such actions might be punishable by law.
The Democratic lawmakers who appeared in the video responded firmly to Trump’s accusations in a joint statement, asserting that no threats or intimidation tactics would deter them from their "sacred obligation" to uphold lawful conduct and the Constitution. Their stance reflects a long-standing principle within the US military known as the "duty to disobey," which holds that service members must refuse to follow patently illegal orders, including those that violate the Constitution. This principle has gained renewed attention amid legal challenges to Trump’s deployments of the National Guard in various US cities.
Amid the heightened tensions, leaders in the US House of Representatives have been coordinating with Capitol Police to ensure adequate protection for lawmakers and their families who have been targeted by Trump’s rhetoric. The situation underscores growing concerns about political violence and threats against public officials in the United States.
Other prominent political figures weighed in on the controversy. Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune disagreed with Trump’s posts but also criticized the Democrats’ message to the military as "unnecessary" and "provocative." Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the Senate, condemned Trump for making political violence "a feature of his politics," stating that no other president has encouraged violence to the extent Trump has.
The debate over political violence comes at a time when many Americans, regardless of party affiliation, believe such violence is on the rise. A Pew Research Center study from October found that 85% of Americans perceive an increase in politically motivated violence, a finding echoed by a November poll conducted by Politico and Public First.
The reality of political violence in recent years has been stark. Donald Trump himself was the target of two alleged