Democratic lawmakers Denounce Trump After He Suggests They Should Face Execution
Democratic officials expressed fury after the ex-president alleged a group of Democratic congress members of being "betrayers" and declared they should be detained and penalized "by death" following their posting of a contentious video.
The Content That Provoked the Controversy
The video footage, released on earlier this week, features six Democratic congress members who in the past worked in military or defense capacities.
"As we did, you all made an pledge to safeguard and support this constitution," the representatives stated in the 90-second video. "Currently, the dangers to our democratic foundation are not only from overseas, but from within our own country. Our laws are explicit, you can refuse improper directives, you can refuse unlawful commands, you should decline unlawful commands. No one has to execute commands that break the legal system or our founding principles."
The Former President's Angry Response
The recorded statement seemed to trigger a angry reaction from the previous commander-in-chief.
On the following morning, Trump wrote on his preferred platform: "This constitutes SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. Each one of these betrayers to our United States should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL."
In another post, he stated: "This constitutes really bad, and Harmful to our Country. Their statements cannot be permitted to remain. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???"
In a additional publication, he continued: "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!" He also shared a comment that read: "HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!"
Party Officials React
Following Trump's comments on Thursday, Democratic leadership released a combined statement condemning the comments.
"Political violence has no place in America," they declared. "Congress members who participated in the video all served our nation with great loyalty and honor. We unequivocally censure Donald Trump's disgusting and risky death threats against elected officials, and appeal to House Republicans to strongly do the same."
The party representatives also said that they had been in contact with protective services "to make certain the protection of these officials and their families."
"Donald Trump must right away take down these extreme online messages and recant his dangerous rhetoric before he leads to violence," the declaration continued.
Lawmakers' Strong Answer
The lawmakers who participated in the video also issued a statement.
"We are veterans and national security professionals who care for this country and made an vow to safeguard and defend the national charter of the United States," they said. "This commitment is permanent, and we intend to maintain it. No warning, pressure, or call for violence will prevent us from that important obligation."
"The significant point is that the former president considers it punishable by capital punishment for us to repeat the law," they continued. "Armed forces members should understand that we have their protection as they carry out their oath to the founding principles and responsibility to follow only lawful orders. It is not only the proper thing to do, but also our duty."
They continued: "All citizens must join forces and censure the former president's demands for our death and ideological conflict. This is a time for ethical certainty."
Further Governmental Comments
The Opposition leader also censured Trump's remarks and shared on social media: "It's important to understand: the former president is requesting the capital punishment of government members."
He added: "This represents an clear THREAT. Every Senator, all representatives, all citizens – without partisan consideration – should condemn this immediately and unconditionally."
The GOP leader justified Trump's allegation that the Democrats had engaged in "treason", labeling the video as "wildly inappropriate", stating: "It is very harmful, you have leading members of Congress advising soldiers to ignore directives, I think that is without precedent in the nation's past."
The Republican leader also according to sources informed the press that in what he reviewed of Trump's posts, Trump was "defining the crime of rebellion" but that "attorneys have to examine the terminology and establish all that."
White House Reaction
During a executive branch meeting on that day, when questioned by a journalist, "Does the president want to execute congressional representatives?", the executive branch representative replied: "Certainly not."
"We should understand about what the president is responding to," the spokesperson declared. "There are current representatives of the federal government who conspired to arrange a digital communication to members of the US military, to serving soldiers encouraging them to defy the executive's legal commands."
She said: "The integrity of our military rests on the command structure, and if that structure is compromised, it can cause people getting killed, it can cause chaos, and that's what these members of Congress ... are fundamentally supporting."