Former U.S. President Donald Trump has ignited controversy by suggesting that Democratic lawmakers who urged the military to refuse certain orders should face execution. Trump labeled these lawmakers as traitors in a post on his social media platform.
The remarks follow a video released by a group of Democratic representatives and senators, some with military and intelligence backgrounds, expressing concerns about the current administration. The lawmakers, including Senator Mark Kelly, a former Navy pilot and NASA astronaut, and Senator Elissa Slotkin, a former CIA officer who served in Iraq, stated that the threats to the Constitution were coming from within the country.
While the lawmakers did not specify which orders they were referring to, the Trump administration has faced criticism for its use of military force both domestically and abroad. Trump, in his post, condemned the lawmakers’ actions as seditious and intolerable, stating that their words were dangerous to the country.
In a subsequent post, Trump explicitly linked sedition to the death penalty. He also shared a message from another user suggesting that the lawmakers should be hanged, adding that George Washington would have done the same.
The Democratic Party has strongly condemned Trump’s remarks, accusing him of calling for the execution of elected officials. The party responded via its official social media account, highlighting the severity of Trump’s statement.
This incident comes amidst growing concerns about the politicization of the military and the potential for abuse of power. Trump’s comments have further polarized the political landscape and raised questions about the future of American democracy.
The Trump administration has also faced scrutiny for deploying the National Guard in several Democratic-led cities, citing rising crime rates, and for recent military actions in the Caribbean and Pacific, which resulted in numerous casualties. Critics have questioned the legality of these actions.
