United States President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to impose the death penalty on Democratic lawmakers who told members of the US military they should refuse to follow illegal orders.
Earlier this week, six Democrats who have previously served in the armed forces or the intelligence community published a video message in which they told current service personnel that the Trump administration is pitting them against the American people and endangering core principles of the US Constitution.
Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, a former astronaut and Navy veteran, said, “We know you are under tremendous stress and pressure right now, but our laws are clear: You can refuse illegal orders.”
“We need to stand up for your laws, our Constitution,” said Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin, a former CIA analyst and Iraq War veteran. “Don’t abandon ship.”
Trump: There is a ‘death penalty’ for ‘treasonous behaviour’
Trump reposted an article about the video on his Truth social platform on Thursday, calling it “treasonous behavior, death penalty!” It was said.
Earlier, he had written: “This is really bad, and dangerous for our country. His words cannot be tolerated. Traitors’ traitorous behavior!!! Lock them up???”
Asked at a news briefing whether the US president actually wanted to execute members of Congress, White House spokeswoman Carolyn Leavitt said “no” – but chided the lawmaker for encouraging service personnel to refuse to follow orders.
In response, Slotkin insisted that he and his colleagues would continue to defend the Constitution, saying on X: “No threat, intimidation or call to violence will deter us from that sacred obligation.”
Democrats condemned ‘dangerous behavior’
Slotkin and his colleagues received support from fellow Democrats, including Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.
He said, “Calling for the execution of senators and members of Congress … is the appalling behavior we should expect from authoritarians … not the President of the United States.” “Every one of my Republican colleagues needs to stand up and condemn this immediately.”
But his appeal received a largely lukewarm response from Republicans.
“Well, that’s their opinion,” Senator Tim Sheehy, a Montana Republican and former US Navy SEAL, told Reuters news agency.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told reporters he “hated” the Democrats’ video but called Trump’s response “extreme.”
“This is the most irresponsible thing I have seen from members of Congress,” he said. “But I don’t agree with what the president said.”
Can Trump really give lawmakers the death penalty?
This is not the first time that Trump has called for extreme punishment, even the death penalty, for his political opponents.
In November 2021, Trump defended supporters who demanded the execution of Vice President Mike Pence after he stormed the U.S. Capitol in the deadly riot that occurred on January 6, 2021, months after Trump lost the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden.
Since returning to the White House this year, Trump has called for imprisoning opponents and his Justice Department indicting critics such as former federal officials John Bolton and James Comey.
US law makes no provisions for “treason” charges for civilians such as legislators, although “seditious conspiracy” is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
However, for the military, the Uniform Code of Military Justice includes a section on treason, which carries a punishment up to death.
Senator Chuck Schumer said, “When Donald Trump uses the language of executions and treason, some of his supporters may very well listen.” “He’s lighting a match soaked in gasoline.”
Edited by Shawn Sinico