Trump’s ‘Punishable by Death’ Post Targeting Democrats Who Urged Troops to Refuse Orders Sparks Bipartisan Alarm

President Donald Trump on Thursday wrote on his social platform that Democratic lawmakers who urged service members and intelligence officials to refuse unlawful orders were committing "seditious behavior, punishable by death," touching off fierce criticism across the political spectrum and renewed security and legal scrutiny.

"SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!"

Trump posted the comment in response to a video recorded by six members of Congress — all with military or national security backgrounds — in which they encouraged service members to "refuse illegal orders." In the same thread he called the lawmakers "traitors to our Country" and said each should be "arrested and put on trial," and he reshared other users' posts that included threats of violence.

Immediate backlash

Democratic leaders denounced the remarks as incitement and a direct threat to elected officials. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer described the post from the Senate floor as "an outright threat" and said the president appeared to be "calling for the execution of elected officials." House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said his team had contacted law enforcement to ensure the safety of the members singled out.

In a joint statement, the six lawmakers — Sens. Elissa Slotkin and Mark Kelly and Reps. Jason Crow, Maggie Goodlander, Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan — said they "will not be intimidated" and defended their message: "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."

Responses from Republicans and the White House

Some Republicans criticized Trump’s tone while stopping short of full condemnation. Sen. Lindsey Graham called the remarks "over the top" while also criticizing the Democrats' video. Sen. Rand Paul said discussing jailing or executing political opponents was unwise. House Speaker Mike Johnson defended Trump’s language as an explanation of the crime of sedition rather than a literal call to violence.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed back against the interpretation that the president was literally calling for executions. She argued the lawmakers who made the video were leveraging their credentials as former military and national security personnel to encourage current service members to defy the commander in chief, calling that "a very, very dangerous message" and adding it "perhaps is punishable by law."

Security and legal scrutiny

Following the post, Sen. Slotkin was escorted by United States Capitol Police at an off-Capitol event after her team requested additional protection. House leaders said they were coordinating with the Sergeant at Arms and other authorities to protect members and their families.

The Justice Department said it would "take a very close look" at the actions of the lawmakers who appeared in the video. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche described the video as a "disgusting and inappropriate display of supposed leadership," signaling possible legal review.

Neither the lawmakers in the video nor Trump specified any particular orders they were referring to; the lawmakers stated in the recording that "no one has to carry out orders that violate the law, or our Constitution."

This episode has become a national flashpoint, prompting debate about political rhetoric, the responsibilities of former and current military officials, and the boundaries of protected speech versus threats of violence.

Contributors: Camila DeChalus, Sarah Ferris, Natasha Bertrand, Zachary Cohen