WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has called for six Democratic lawmakers to face sedition charges after they released a video urging military and intelligence personnel to “refuse unlawful orders.”
Trump escalated his criticism on Truth Social, calling their remarks “seditious behavior” and asking, “Lock them up???”
“This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country. Their words cannot be allowed to stand. Seditious behavior from traitors!!! Lock them up???” Trump wrote on his proprietary Truth Social platform.
“Seditious behavior, punishable by death!” he added in a separate post.
The backlash follows a video released Tuesday by Sens. Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin, and Reps. Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander and Chrissy Houlahan — all of whom previously served in the military or intelligence community. In the message, they warned that trust in the military was “at risk,” accusing the administration of “pitting” uniformed personnel against US citizens. They reiterated that US law allows service members to refuse illegal orders.
Their appeal comes as Trump continues deploying federalized National Guard troops to cities as part of his domestic security agenda — a move several states and cities argue violates the 19th-century Posse Comitatus Act, which restricts military involvement in domestic law enforcement.
In a joint statement responding to Trump’s remarks, the lawmakers said “no threat, intimidation, or call for violence will deter us,” adding that the president was calling for their execution simply for “restating the law.”
The White House rejected the accusation that Trump wants them executed, but spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said the lawmakers used their military credentials to encourage personnel to “defy the president’s lawful orders,” calling it a “dangerous message” that may be “punishable by law.”
