President Donald Trump on Thursday escalated his criticism of six Democratic lawmakers, calling for them to be arrested and put on trial after their video criticized the administration’s handling of military and intelligence orders. The lawmakers, who include veterans and former national security professionals, argued that service members have the right to refuse illegal orders, a stance that Trump branded as ‘seditious behavior’ at the highest level.
The video, released on Tuesday, was met with strong condemnation from Trump, who took to his Truth Social platform to demand justice. He warned that the lawmakers’ words could endanger the country, stating, ‘We won’t have a Country anymore!!! An example MUST BE SET.’ The president reiterated his stance by reposting 16 Truth Social posts, some of which included calls for extreme actions against the Democrats, such as ‘GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD’ advocate for hanging them.
Among those featured in the video were Sens. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), as well as Reps. Jason Crow (D-Colo.), Chrissy Houlahan (D-Penn.), Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.), and Chris Deluzio (D-Penn.). They emphasized that they, like the military and intelligence community, swear an oath to protect the Constitution and that the current administration’s policies have put that trust at risk. ‘Americans trust their military,’ they stated in the video, ‘but that trust is at risk. This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens.’
Trump’s recent actions are part of a broader strategy to address street crime and increase deportations, which has included federalizing National Guard troops in cities like Washington, Chicago, and Portland. However, Democratic officials have accused the administration of overstepping federal authority, leading to ongoing lawsuits to block the National Guard deployments. None of the lawmakers in the video responded to Trump’s threats, leaving the situation in uncertainty.
Despite the lack of immediate responses, Trump continued to express his outrage, writing on Truth Social, ‘This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country. Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???’ The episode highlights the escalating tensions between the executive branch and Congress, as well as the potential legal and political ramifications of the president’s aggressive rhetoric.