Trump calls video by Democratic veterans in Congress ‘seditious behavior’ : NPR
President Trump hosts Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday before a state dinner at the White House.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
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Democratic congressional leaders are demanding that President Trump remove social media posts directed at some Democratic congressional veterans, suggesting they be arrested and given the death penalty for a video they posted urging active military personnel to defy illegal orders.
In the video posted to Facebook on Tuesday, the lawmakers address members of the military and intelligence communities and say, “You can refuse illegal orders,” repeating the phrase several times before saying, “You must refuse illegal orders.”
The video features Democratic members of the House and Senate: Reps. Jason Crow of Colorado, Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania; and Senators Mark Kelly of Arizona and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan.
On Truth Social, Trump said the comments made in the video were “really bad and dangerous for our country.”
“Their words cannot stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR OF TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???” Trump posted. An hour later, Trump shared another message, declaring: “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH! »
Trump also reposted a series of user comments on Truth Social, including messages saying that Democrats should be hanged, that their actions constituted insurrection, and that they should all be charged because of the video.
The lawmakers responded to these messages in a joint statement, saying in part: “We are veterans and national security professionals who love this country and have taken an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. This oath lasts a lifetime and we intend to keep it. No threat, intimidation or call to violence will distract us from this sacred obligation.
“All Americans must come together and condemn the president’s calls for murder and political violence against us. Now is the time for moral clarity,” they said.
Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives — House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts and Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar of California — called on Trump to delete the messages and on Republicans to condemn them.
“We unequivocally condemn the disgusting and dangerous death threats made by Donald Trump against members of Congress and call on House Republicans to forcefully do the same,” they wrote.
“We have been in contact with the House Sergeant at Arms and the United States Capitol Police to ensure the safety of these members and their families,” the statement added. “Donald Trump must immediately delete these unhinged social media posts and abandon his violent rhetoric before he has anyone killed.”
In the video posted to Facebook, Democrats did not discuss specific actions that military or intelligence officials would have been asked to take, but they said the Trump administration was “pitting our uniformed military and intelligence professionals against American citizens.” They added that the military and intelligence services took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution.
“At present, threats to our Constitution come not only from abroad, but also from home,” they said. “No one is required to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution.”
They ended the video by telling military and intelligence officials, “Don’t abandon ship,” referencing the famous last words of James Lawrence, a naval captain during the War of 1812, to keep fighting and not surrender.
