Trump: Democrats Urging U.S. Military to Refuse Orders Should Face Death Penalty

U.S. President Donald Trump has criticized Democratic lawmakers who urged the U.S. military to refuse illegal orders as "sedition" and said they should be executed.

According to reports from The New York Times and Reuters, Trump retweeted an article on Thursday morning (November 20) about a video released by six Democratic lawmakers.

Trump wrote on Truth Social: "Sedition, death penalty!" He also retweeted another post that read: "George Washington would hang them!!"

In his previous post, Trump wrote: "This is really bad, dangerous for our country. Their speech must never be allowed. It's traitorous sedition!!! Lock them up???"

At the subsequent White House press briefing, a reporter asked White House Press Secretary Levitt if Trump wanted to execute members of Congress. She replied no, but condemned Democrats for encouraging the military to disobey orders.

The video that enraged Trump was released two days earlier by six Democrats, all of whom had served in the military or intelligence community.

In the video, six Democratic senators and representatives accused the Trump administration of pitting these agencies against the American people and threatening fundamental principles of the U.S. Constitution. They addressed the military and intelligence community directly, saying, “We know you are under immense pressure right now.”

Senator Kelly of Arizona, a former Navy officer and astronaut, said, “Our laws are clear: you can refuse illegal orders.”

Representative Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania, also a former Navy officer, said in the video, “You must refuse illegal orders.” Other members of Congress expressed similar views.

Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan concluded, “We need you to defend our laws and the Constitution. Never abandon ship.”

The other three Democrats appearing in the video were Representatives Jason Crow, Maggie Goodlander, and Chrissy Houlahan.

Reuters reported that Trump again called for punishment on Thursday for those he considers political opponents. Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has repeatedly called for the imprisonment of his political opponents, and his critics, such as former National Security Advisor John Bolton and former FBI Director James Comey, have been charged by the Department of Justice.