President Donald Trump suggested that six Democratic “traitors” who urged troops to defy “illegal orders” should be prosecuted and face the death penalty.
In a series of social media posts on Thursday, Trump condemned their rhetoric from a recently published video.
He later wrote that their actions should be “punishable by death.”
The Democrats who participated in the video include Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), a former CIA analyst and Iraq war veteran, and Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), a former astronaut and Navy veteran, as well as Reps. Jason Crow (D-Wis.), Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.), Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.), and Chrissy Houlahan (D-Mass.).
The controversial video published on Tuesday featured the six lawmakers who previously served in the military or intelligence community telling troops: “We know you are under enormous stress and pressure right now” and “Our laws are clear: You can refuse illegal orders.”
None of them mentioned which specific orders they deemed illegal, but told troops “we have your back” and “don’t give up the ship.”
Some Congressional Democrats have sounded the alarm over Trump’s military strikes on suspected drug traffickers traveling on international waters. Lawmakers have expressed concerns about the legality and transparency of the lethal strikes and whether Trump would launch an attack on Venezuela itself.
In another social media post, Trump repeated his calls to hold them accountable.
Democratic leaders were quick to defend their colleagues and issued their own statements in response to the president’s threats.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) expressed support for the lawmakers, saying their records reflect that they are patriots who love the country.
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) warned of the consequences that could come from Trump’s calls to punish Democrats by death.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) confirmed that the Justice Department and Pentagon are looking into the legality of the Democrats’ video.
Johnson reiterated Trump’s comments, pointing to Democrats’ own rhetoric.
“That was wildly inappropriate. It is very dangerous. You have leading members of Congress telling troops to disobey orders. I think that’s unprecedented in American history,” Johnson told reporters on Thursday.
Reuters contributed to this report.
