President Trump sought to regain momentum after a difficult week by amplifying a dispute with Democrats over national security and presidential authority, reposting a video of lawmakers who urged service members not to follow unlawful orders and calling their conduct “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” Critics from both parties condemned the rhetoric as dangerous and disproportionate. Trump is also preparing to meet New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, whom he has branded a “communist,” in a move to nationalize a local race ahead of next year’s elections. The confrontation highlights questions about presidential rhetoric, institutional norms and political strategy.
After Missteps, Trump Sparks a New Feud and Targets New York’s Mayor-Elect
President Trump sought to regain momentum after a difficult week by amplifying a dispute with Democrats over national security and presidential authority, reposting a video of lawmakers who urged service members not to follow unlawful orders and calling their conduct “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” Critics from both parties condemned the rhetoric as dangerous and disproportionate. Trump is also preparing to meet New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, whom he has branded a “communist,” in a move to nationalize a local race ahead of next year’s elections. The confrontation highlights questions about presidential rhetoric, institutional norms and political strategy.
01:02 PM, 11/21/2025Politics
President Donald Trump, coming off a bruising week marked by questions about his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein matter and a blunder over affordability, escalated a confrontation with congressional Democrats and is now targeting New York’s mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani.
Trump amplified a controversy by reposting a video in which several lawmakers — including military veterans and former intelligence personnel — reminded service members they are not obliged to follow unlawful orders. In a post that drew immediate bipartisan outrage, he labeled the lawmakers guilty of “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”
Reactions and risks
Critics described the president’s language as dangerous and disproportionate at a time of heightened political violence. Senior Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, Sen. Lindsey Graham and Sen. Rand Paul, publicly distanced themselves from the rhetoric, calling it over the top. The White House press secretary said Mr. Trump did not literally seek executions while defending his broader claim that the video encouraged insubordination.
“I never in a million years thought I’d be talking to you tonight about the fact that the president of the United States has called for my death by hanging for sedition and treason… because I and a number of other people published a video that says you have to follow the law,” Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, an Air Force veteran, said.
Politics and strategy
The episode fits a familiar pattern: when under pressure, Trump often provokes crises that dominate the news cycle, rally his base and force opponents to defend institutions and norms. Those defenses—though often substantive—can sound abstract to voters focused on jobs, housing and health care, while the spectacle energizes conservative media and creates a loyalty test for Republicans.
Defenders of the lawmakers say their concern is concrete: combat veterans and others fear the commander in chief might order troops to undertake unlawful actions. Observers note past occasions when legal questions were raised about presidential decisions, and judges have occasionally ruled against administration policies. That context helps explain why some members of Congress produced the video in the first place.
The Mamdani meeting
On Friday the president planned to meet Zohran Mamdani, the incoming mayor of New York City and a self-described democratic socialist whom Trump has repeatedly labeled a “communist.” Trump has threatened to withhold federal funds and appears intent on using the encounter to nationalize a local contest and portray Democrats as extreme ahead of next year’s elections.
For Mamdani, the Oval Office meeting is high-stakes: it offers a platform to defend his record and appeal to a national audience but also risks becoming a televised confrontation in which the president has in the past sought to humiliate visitors. For Trump, the exchange is an opportunity to shift attention from recent controversies and solidify support among core voters.
As both sides brace for further attacks, the episode underscores broader questions about presidential rhetoric, the bounds of political strategy, and the impact of inflammatory language on civic discourse.