On November 20, 2025, President Donald Trump ignited a fierce political firestorm by accusing six Democratic lawmakers—each with a background in military or intelligence service—of "seditious behavior, punishable by death." The accusation came in response to a video released just two days earlier, in which the Democrats urged U.S. service members to refuse illegal orders. The video, featuring Senators Elissa Slotkin and Mark Kelly alongside Representatives Chris DeLuzio, Maggie Goodlander, Chrissy Houlahan, and Jason Crow, has since become the center of a heated national debate about the limits of political speech, the responsibilities of military personnel, and the rising tide of political violence in America.
According to ABC News and the BBC, the video shared by Senator Slotkin on November 18 did not reference any specific illegal orders but reminded military personnel of their oath to the Constitution. Senator Kelly, a former Navy pilot and astronaut, stated in the video, "Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders." The group warned, "The threats to our Constitution aren't just coming from abroad, but from right here at home. Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution." Their message echoed the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which requires service members to obey only lawful orders and holds them accountable for following unlawful ones.
President Trump’s reaction was swift and unrestrained. In a flurry of Truth Social posts on the morning of November 20, he labeled the lawmakers "traitors" and called their actions "seditious behavior, punishable by death." Trump wrote, "This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country. Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???" He went further, sharing another post that read, "HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD!!" and insisted, "An example MUST BE SET."
The president’s comments quickly drew condemnation and concern from across the political spectrum, with many lawmakers and observers warning that such rhetoric could incite violence. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, speaking from the Senate floor, said, "Let's be crystal clear, the president of the United States is calling for the execution of elected officials. This is a threat, and it's deadly serious." Schumer added, "Every time Donald Trump posts things like this, he makes political violence more likely." He also revealed that he had requested additional Capitol Police protection for Senators Slotkin and Kelly, who were targeted in the president’s posts.
House Democratic leaders, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Whip Katherine Clark, and Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, released a joint statement condemning Trump’s posts and calling for their deletion. "We unequivocally condemn Donald Trump’s disgusting and dangerous death threats against Members of Congress and call on House Republicans to forcefully do the same," their statement read. Jeffries further urged Trump to "recant his violent rhetoric before he gets someone killed," according to the BBC.
The Democratic lawmakers featured in the video also responded with a joint statement, asserting, "No threat, intimidation, or call for violence will deter us from that sacred obligation." They continued, "What’s most telling is that the President considers it punishable by death for us to restate the law. Our servicemembers should know that we have their backs as they fulfill their oath to the Constitution and obligation to follow only lawful orders. It is not only the right thing to do, but also our duty. But this isn’t about any one of us. This isn’t about politics. This is about who we are as Americans. Every American must unite and condemn the President’s calls for our murder and political violence. This is a time for moral clarity."
At the White House, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt attempted to defuse the controversy, insisting that Trump was not calling for the execution of members of Congress. She argued that the Democrats in the video were "encouraging [service members] to defy the president’s lawful orders" and suggested that such behavior "perhaps is punishable by law." She added, "To signal to people serving under this commander in chief, Donald Trump, that you can defy him and you can betray your oath of office, that is a very, very dangerous message. And it perhaps is punishable by law. I'm not a lawyer. I'll leave that to the Department of Justice and the Department of War to decide."
Republican leaders offered a mixed response. House Speaker Mike Johnson downplayed Trump’s remarks, saying, "The words that the president chose are not the ones that I would use. OK, obviously I don't think that this is -- these are crimes punishable by death or any of that." Johnson maintained that Trump was merely "defining the crime of sedition" and not inciting violence. He also criticized the Democrats’ video as "wildly inappropriate" and "very dangerous," echoing the president’s concerns about undermining the chain of command.
Some Republicans, however, distanced themselves from Trump’s harsh rhetoric. Senator Lindsey Graham, a steadfast Trump ally, told ABC News, "I think what they did was despicable. I don't agree with the president [that] they should be put in jail, but I do believe what they did was despicable and they need to explain themselves." Senator Rand Paul issued a warning about the potential consequences of such incendiary language: "I don't think it’s a really -- a good idea to talk about jailing your political opponents or hanging them or whatever else. I think we have political disagreements and we need to work them out in a political way." Paul cautioned that Trump’s rhetoric could inspire violence among unstable individuals.
The controversy unfolds against a backdrop of rising political violence in the United States. The BBC highlighted recent high-profile incidents, including assassination attempts and attacks on public officials, noting that 85% of Americans believe politically motivated violence is increasing, according to a Pew Research Center study. In 2025 alone, there have been assassination attempts on Trump himself, the killing of a Democratic Minnesota lawmaker and her husband, and the murder of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. Both Democratic and Republican officials have reported a surge in threats, swatting incidents, and public confrontations, further fueling concerns about the nation’s political climate.
Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego, a Marine combat veteran not featured in the video, criticized Trump’s comments, telling ABC News that the president "doesn't understand the military." Gallego remarked, "He thinks the military is one of his personal little play toys. He, for some reason, thinks that men and women upholding their oath is a contradiction to him as commander in chief -- which, again, tells you he doesn't really understand his role."
As the debate rages, one thing is clear: the boundaries of political discourse, the responsibilities of leaders, and the safety of public officials are all being tested as never before. With tempers flaring and the stakes high, Americans across the political spectrum are left to grapple with the implications of words—and the real-world consequences they may carry.
