President Donald Trump accused six Democratic lawmakers of “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH” on his Truth Social account on November 20, though he later claimed that he was not calling for their executions. This came in response to the lawmakers releasing a video reminding service members that they are obligated to not fulfill illegal orders.
Pennsylvania Rep. Chris Deluzio appeared in the video, urging members of the military that they “must refuse illegal orders.”
The other lawmakers who appeared in the video were former astronaut and naval officer and current Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly; Pennsylvania Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, a former Air Force officer; former intelligence officers Maggie Goodlander, now a New Hampshire Representative, and Elissa Slotkin, now a Michigan Senator; and Colorado Rep. Jason Crow, a former Army officer.
Trump has called for legal charges to be brought against the lawmakers, claiming that in old times, their actions would have been punishable by death. He also shared a post that said, “HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD!!”
Legally, sedition is defined as conspiracy to “overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States,” and it is not punishable by death, but rather imprisonment for “not more than twenty years.”
By this definition, legal experts claim, creating the video was well within the lawmaker’s rights. In fact, their message was correct: service members swear an oath to the Constitution, not the president. Therefore, they are not only permitted to refuse illegal orders, they are obligated to, and could face prosecution for fulfilling an illegal order.
Regardless, Pete Hegseth and the Justice Department are looking into legal charges, the Department of Defense is investigating Kelly and the FBI has requested interviews with all six lawmakers.
After Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Trump took an opposite stance on political violence. “[It is] long past time for all Americans and the media to confront the fact that violence and murder are the tragic consequence of demonizing those with whom you disagree,” he said at the time.
Now, his violent rhetoric appears to be encouraging the political violence that he condemned less than three months ago.
In response to the federal legal retaliation they are facing, the six lawmakers released a statement saying, “What is most telling is that the president considers it punishable by death for us to restate the law.”
Senator Mark Kelly also posted on X, “If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won’t work. I’ve given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies who care more about their own power than protecting the Constitution.”
