President Donald Trump on Nov. 20 called for the arrest of six Democratic lawmakers who released a social media video encouraging U.S. service members to reject “illegal orders” from the White House.
“It’s called SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL,” Trump charged in a Truth Social post responding to the video. “Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL. Their words cannot be allowed to stand – We won’t have a Country anymore!!! An example MUST BE SET.”
The President then reposted several supportive messages on Truth Social, including one that read in all caps: “Hang them George Washington would !!”
He later issued two additional posts, calling the lawmakers’ remarks “dangerous” in the second and writing “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” in the third.
The 90-second video, released Nov. 18 and titled “Don’t Give Up The Ship,” featured Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich.; Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz.; Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa.; Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa.; Rep. Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H.; and Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo. All six have military or national security backgrounds.
In the clip, the lawmakers tell active-duty personnel they have a legal duty to resist unlawful commands.
“We know you are under enormous stress and pressure right now,” they said. “Americans trust their military, but that trust is at risk. This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens like us. You all swore an oath to protect and defend this Constitution.”
The lawmakers added: “Right now, the threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home. Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders. You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution.”
Trump’s suggestion that their conduct could be punishable by death drew immediate rebukes.
“I would hope that people of all backgrounds — Democratic, Republican, Independent — would agree that threatening death for people you disagree with is beyond the pale of who we are as Americans,” Slotkin responded in a video.
Kelly posted a joint statement from the six lawmakers urging Americans to “unite and condemn the President’s calls for our murder and political violence.”
In a news briefing later Nov. 20, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt rejected claims that Trump was calling for lawmakers to be executed, instead arguing that the video dangerously signaled that troops could defy lawful orders given by Trump.
“These members knew what they were doing,” Leavitt said. “They were leaning into their credentials, as former members of our military, as veterans, as former members of the national security apparatus, to signal to people serving under this commander in chief, Donald Trump, that you can defy him and you can betray your oath of office. That is a very, very dangerous message. And it perhaps is punishable by law.”
Under federal law, civilians can be charged with “seditious conspiracy” for plotting to overthrow or violently oppose the U.S. government — a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice for troops, sedition can carry penalties including death.
The clash comes amid a broader debate over Trump’s increased use of military power. In recent months, the administration has federalized National Guard troops in several cities, including Chicago, Memphis, Portland, and Washington D.C., as part of its effort to reduce crime.
Democratic officials argue the moves overstep presidential authority. Slotkin last week introduced the “No Troops in Our Streets Act,” which would allow Congress to block or terminate National Guard deployments by a majority vote.
Crow on Nov. 18 introduced a war-powers resolution to halt the administration’s continued strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific.
“In the briefings I’ve had on these strikes, I have yet to see a coherent strategy from this administration on their illegal actions,” Crow said in a statement. “After decades of overseas wars, trillions of dollars spent, and thousands of lives lost, the American people deserve a public debate and vote on military actions and putting our servicemembers in harm’s way.”
The post Trump calls for arrest of Democrats who urged troops to ‘refuse illegal orders’ appeared first on CatholicVote org.