Senior Democrats in the United States have raised the alarm about a dangerous escalation in political rhetoric, voicing profound concerns about the potential for violence after former President Donald Trump accused several Congress members of 'seditious behavior, punishable by death'.
A Provocative Video and a Furious Response
The political firestorm was ignited when a group of five Democratic senators and representatives released a video on Tuesday. In the clip, the lawmakers, all of whom have backgrounds in the military or intelligence community, called on members of the armed forces to 'refuse illegal orders'.
The politicians featured were Representatives Jason Crow of Colorado, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Chris DeLuzio of Pennsylvania, and Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, alongside Senators Mark Kelly of Arizona and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan.
On Thursday morning, Trump responded with fury on his Truth Social platform. 'This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country. Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???' he wrote.
In a subsequent post, the former president escalated his language dramatically, stating: 'SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!' He also reshared another user's post which read, 'HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!'
Security Concerns and Bipartisan Condemnation
The immediate fallout from Trump's statements was a significant security upgrade for the targeted officials. Senator Elissa Slotkin revealed that the Capitol Police informed her and her colleagues they would be placed on '24/7 security', with officers patrolling in front of her home.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer delivered a powerful speech on the Senate floor, labelling Trump's comments as 'deadly serious'. He warned, 'When Donald Trump uses the language of execution and treason, some of his supporters may very well listen. He is lighting a match in a country soaked with political gasoline.'
Senator Mark Kelly, whose wife, former Representative Gabby Giffords, was severely wounded in a 2011 shooting, connected the threat directly to his personal experience with political violence. 'Words have consequences, especially when they come from the President of the United States,' he stated.
While the White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, stated 'No' when asked if the president wants to execute members of Congress, she criticised the lawmakers' video as breaking the military's chain of command.
A Divided Republican Response
The reaction from Republicans was mixed. Senate Majority Leader John Thune acknowledged that he 'certainly don't agree with the president's conclusion on how we ought to handle it', despite calling the Democrats' video 'ill-advised'.
House Speaker Mike Johnson initially seemed to defend Trump, suggesting he was merely 'defining the crime of sedition' and calling the lawmakers' video 'wildly inappropriate'. However, he later tempered his stance, telling reporters, 'The words that the President chose are not the ones that I would use.'
This event occurs against a backdrop of increasing political violence in the US, including two assassination attempts on Trump during the 2024 election cycle and the recent fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
