President Trump denounced six Democratic lawmakers Thursday after they released a one-minute social media video telling service members they can and “must refuse illegal orders,” calling their message “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL” in a Truth Social post.
Trump wrote that “each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL,” adding that “their words cannot be allowed to stand – We won’t have a Country anymore!!! An example MUST BE SET.” He then retruthed supportive posts from his platform’s users, including one stating, “Hang them, George Washington would !!”
The video, titled “Don’t Give Up The Ship,” featured Sen. Elissa Slotkin, Sen. Mark Kelly, Reps. Chris Deluzio, Chrissy Houlahan, Maggie Goodlander, and Jason Crow. In the clip, they tell service members, “We know you are under enormous stress and pressure right now… You all swore an oath to protect and defend this Constitution,” warning that “the threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home.” They add, “You can refuse illegal orders … you must refuse illegal orders.”
Trump followed with two more posts, calling the lawmakers’ message “really bad, and Dangerous to our Country,” labeling it “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???” and later writing, “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”
