Trump Demands Death for Seditious Democrats in Truth Social Rant

US President Donald Trump has accused Democratic lawmakers of 'seditious behaviour' and suggested they deserve the death penalty after they released a video advising troops to refuse illegal orders. The President's comments on Truth Social targeted six veterans of the armed forces and the intelligence community, marking a severe escalation in his rhetoric against political opponents.

Democratic Veterans Warn Troops to Refuse Illegal Orders

The controversy centres on a video released on Tuesday by six Democrats on Capitol Hill, all of whom have served in the armed forces or intelligence sectors. Led by Senator Elissa Slotkin, the group argued that the current administration is eroding the non-partisan nature of the military.

In the video, they accused the Trump administration of 'pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens.' The lawmakers issued a stark reminder to those currently in uniform. They stated that active-duty troops and intelligence officers 'can' and 'must refuse illegal orders.'

This direct appeal to the rank-and-file did not sit well with the White House. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed the concerns entirely. Writing on X, he referred to the video as 'Stage 4 TDS,' using the acronym for 'Trump Derangement Syndrome' to mock the Democrats' warnings.

Trump Claims Seditious Behaviour Is Punishable by Death

President Trump's response was far more severe than that of his Defence Secretary. Taking to his Truth Social platform on Thursday, he characterised the lawmakers' video as an act of rebellion against the state.

'SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!' Trump wrote. He continued his tirade by declaring, 'This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country. Their words cannot be allowed to stand.'

He concluded the post with a call for their incarceration, shouting in all-caps, 'SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???' The President also reposted a comment from another user, which read, 'HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD!!,' further amplifying the violent sentiment.

Speaker Johnson Defends Trump's Definition of Capital Crimes

Despite the graphic nature of the President's threats, House Speaker Mike Johnson came to his defence on Thursday. Johnson argued that it was the Democrats who were behaving in a 'wildly inappropriate' manner by suggesting troops might face unlawful commands.

Regarding the call for death, Johnson insisted Trump was simply 'defining the crime of sedition.' He told reporters, 'That is a factual statement,' suggesting that legal experts would have to 'parse' the specific language in the criminal act to determine if the death penalty applied.

Johnson admitted he had not seen the full scope of the posts, including the reference to hanging. However, he singled out Senator Mark Kelly, stating, 'For a senator like Mark Kelly or any member of the House or Senate to behave in that kind of talks is to me so just beyond the pale.'

Senate Leaders Warn the Country Is Soaked in Political Gasoline

The defence offered by the Speaker has done little to quell the outrage in the Senate. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer denounced the President's comments in grave terms. He warned that the President 'is lighting a match in a country soaked with political gasoline.'

Schumer called on colleagues across the aisle to denounce the rhetoric before political violence becomes inevitable. 'Every senator, every representative, every American regardless of party should condemn this immediately and without qualification,' Schumer said. 'Because if we don't draw a line here, there is no line left to draw.'