Donald Trump calls for Democrat members of Congress to be arrested and executed
Several members of Congress who previously served in the military released a video telling current service members that they are allowed to turn down orders if those orders break the law or violate the Constitution. They said they felt a responsibility to remind troops of this because they believe the country is under unusual stress and that the military could be placed in difficult situations. They explained that the trust Americans have in the military is at risk, and they warned that serious threats to the Constitution can come from within the country, not just from foreign enemies. Their message was calm but firm: illegal orders do not have to be obeyed, and in fact, they must be refused.
After this video appeared, Donald Trump reacted harshly on his platform, Truth Social. He reposted comments from other users calling for Democrats to be hanged, and he added his own comments saying Democratic members of Congress should be jailed and even executed. He accused the veterans who made the video of being traitors and claimed their words were dangerous to the United States. He insisted that their statements should not be tolerated and said that an “example” needed to be made of them. His posts used dramatic and extreme language, suggesting that they should be arrested and put on trial simply for reminding military members of their legal rights.
The veterans’ video came at a moment when many people were worried that Trump might try to use the military more aggressively against American citizens, especially against protesters in cities run by Democrats. These concerns grew stronger because his administration had already shown a willingness to involve the military in domestic situations. There were also international concerns: the United Kingdom recently stopped sharing certain intelligence related to Trump’s airstrikes on Venezuelan boats. British officials were worried those attacks might violate international law, and they didn’t want to be involved in actions that could be illegal.
Trump’s response to the veterans’ message was not unusual for him. He has repeatedly used Truth Social to call for investigations into people he views as political opponents. In several cases, the Justice Department has taken action after his public demands, such as launching a case against former FBI director James Comey and starting new investigations into well-known Democrats who had past connections with Jeffrey Epstein. His critics argue that this shows a pattern of using federal law enforcement as a weapon against people he dislikes.
Despite Trump’s accusations, legal experts say the veterans did nothing close to sedition. Under U.S. law, sedition requires an active attempt to overthrow the government or use violence to resist its authority. Simply reminding military personnel that they have a legal obligation to refuse unlawful orders does not come anywhere near that threshold. And even if someone were convicted of sedition, the punishment does not include the death penalty. Trump’s calls for execution have no legal basis and go far beyond any established American law.
