Trump Intensifies Sedition Accusations Against Democratic Veterans Over 'Refuse Illegal Orders' Video

President Trump intensified his attack on Democratic lawmakers with military or intelligence backgrounds after they released a video advising service members they may refuse unlawful orders. Trump called the lawmakers "traitors," urged they be jailed and at one point wrote that their actions were "punishable by death." The video features Sens. Elissa Slotkin and Mark Kelly and Reps. Jason Crow, Chrissy Houlahan, Chris Deluzio and Maggie Goodlander and did not cite a specific White House order. The White House later said the administration seeks accountability while its press secretary denied the president wants executions.

08:03 PM, 11/23/2025Politics

Trump Intensifies Sedition Accusations Against Democratic Veterans Over 'Refuse Illegal Orders' Video

President Donald Trump escalated his criticism of a group of Democratic lawmakers with military or intelligence backgrounds after they released a video advising service members that they may refuse unlawful orders.

Posting twice on his Truth Social feed late Saturday, Trump argued the lawmakers should be jailed rather than appearing on television to defend their remarks. In one post he wrote in all caps:

THE TRAITORS THAT TOLD THE MILITARY TO DISOBEY MY ORDERS SHOULD BE IN JAIL RIGHT NOW, NOT ROAMING THE FAKE NEWS NETWORKS TRYING TO EXPLAIN THAT WHAT THEY SAID WAS OK. IT WASN'T, AND NEVER WILL BE!

IT WAS SEDITION AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL, AND SEDITION IS A MAJOR CRIME. THERE CAN BE NO OTHER INTERPRETATION OF WHAT THEY SAID!

About 30 minutes later he repeated the charge and invoked legal backing for his view:

MANY GREAT LEGAL SCHOLARS AGREE THAT THE DEMOCRAT TRAITORS THAT TOLD THE MILITARY TO DISOBEY MY ORDERS, AS PRESIDENT, HAVE COMMITTED A CRIME OF SERIOUS PROPORTION!

The video at issue features Sen. Elissa Slotkin (Mich.) and Sen. Mark Kelly (Ariz.), along with Reps. Jason Crow (Colo.), Chrissy Houlahan (Pa.), Chris Deluzio (Pa.) and Maggie Goodlander (N.H.). In the clip the lawmakers tell active-duty personnel they can "refuse illegal orders," adding that "no one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution." The group did not cite a specific White House order in the video.

Trump also posted earlier comments calling the lawmakers' words "seditious behavior" and asking, "LOCK THEM UP???" He later escalated the rhetoric in another post: "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!"

Those statements prompted a response from the White House press office. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration views it as dangerous for members of Congress to encourage active-duty service members to defy the chain of command and that the lawmakers should be held accountable. When asked directly whether the president wanted members of Congress executed, Leavitt replied "no."

The lawmakers' message arrives as the administration has reported strikes in the Caribbean and destroyed vessels it says were being used to ferry drugs. The administration has not publicly produced evidence to substantiate all of those claims, and law enforcement agencies commonly interdict vessels suspected of drug trafficking.

This episode highlights intense political disagreement over military obedience, accountability and the boundaries of lawful dissent by elected officials with service backgrounds.