Democratic lawmakers Condemn Trump After He Suggests They Should Face Death Penalty
Lawmakers from the Democratic party demonstrated fury after the ex-president alleged a coalition of Democratic congress members of being "traitors" and stated they should be arrested and sentenced "with execution" following their release of a controversial video.
The Message That Sparked the Controversy
The clip, released on earlier this week, includes six Democratic congress members who previously worked in armed forces or intelligence positions.
"Like us, you all swore an vow to safeguard and support this founding document," the lawmakers declared in the short video. "Currently, the threats to our constitution aren't just from overseas, but from within our own country. Our regulations are clear, you can reject improper directives, you can refuse illegal orders, you should reject illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that contravene the legal system or our founding principles."
The Former President's Furious Response
The clip seemed to trigger a heated response from the ex-president.
On the following morning, Trump wrote on his social media platform: "This constitutes SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. Each one of these betrayers to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL."
In an additional message, he wrote: "This constitutes really serious, and Dangerous to our United States. Their statements cannot be permitted to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???"
In a subsequent publication, he stated: "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!" He also redistributed a statement that stated: "HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!"
Opposition Leaders Respond
Following Trump's comments on Thursday, House Democratic leader published a combined declaration censuring the comments.
"Violent politics has no position in this nation," they wrote. "Elected officials who appeared in the video all worked our United States with great national pride and honor. We unequivocally censure Donald Trump's offensive and dangerous calls for execution against elected officials, and urge Republican lawmakers to vigorously do the same."
The party representatives also stated that they had been in touch with security officials "to guarantee the safety of these members and their loved ones."
"Donald Trump must immediately delete these extreme digital publications and recant his violent discourse before he leads to violence," the announcement stated.
Officials' Defiant Reaction
The representatives who participated in the video also issued a declaration.
"We serve as ex-military personnel and national security professionals who value this United States and made an oath to defend and support the national charter of the United States," they said. "This commitment is permanent, and we intend to keep it. No threat, pressure, or incitement will deter us from that sacred obligation."
"The significant point is that the president views it liable to punishment by death for us to reiterate the law," they stated. "Our service members should understand that we have their protection as they carry out their oath to the constitution and duty to adhere to only legal commands. It is not only the proper thing to do, but also our duty."
They stated: "All citizens must unite and condemn the former president's requests for our murder and ideological conflict. This is a period for principled stance."
Further Partisan Reactions
The Senate Democratic leader also condemned Trump's statements and shared on digital platforms: "We must be absolutely clear: the former president is calling for the capital punishment of government members."
He stated: "This is an direct THREAT. All senators, all representatives, all citizens – regardless of party – should condemn this right away and unconditionally."
The Conservative official supported Trump's claim that the Democrats had participated in "treason", characterizing the video as "wildly inappropriate", commenting: "It is very dangerous, you have important representatives of the government instructing troops to ignore directives, I think that represents historic in US history."
The GOP official also according to sources told journalists that in what he read of Trump's messages, Trump was "describing the crime of treason" but that "legal experts have to parse the terminology and establish all that."
White House Response
During a White House press conference on later that day, when asked by a media member, "Does the president want to execute congressional representatives?", the executive branch representative responded: "No."
"It's important to note about what the ex-commander in chief is responding to," the official declared. "You have current representatives of the US Congress who conspired to arrange a video message to individuals of the US military, to active duty service members advising them to ignore the commander in chief's proper directives."
She said: "The sanctity of our armed forces depends on the chain of command, and if that chain of command is violated, it can lead to people getting killed, it can cause confusion, and that's what these elected officials ... are basically supporting."