Today's News: Trump Accuses Democratic Lawmakers of “Seditious Behavior” Message Regarding Illegal Military Orders
This sparked immediate and widespread condemnation from Democratic leaders, who labeled Trump’s comments as an incitement to political violence.
Photo: Aaron Schwartz/EPA
Overview
Date: November 20, 2025
Summary: President Donald Trump publicly accused six Democratic lawmakers of “seditious behavior, punishable by death” on Truth Social, after they released a video reminding military and intelligence officials of their duty to refuse illegal orders. This sparked immediate and widespread condemnation from Democratic leaders, who labeled Trump’s comments as an incitement to political violence and a direct threat to elected officials. While White House officials denied Trump was calling for executions, they criticized the Democrats’ video as dangerous and potentially illegal. The controversy led to increased security concerns for the targeted lawmakers and prompted the Justice Department to review the Democrats’ actions.
Sources
The Washington Post - Trump: Democrats ‘traitors’ for telling military not to follow unlawful orders
Fox News - Schumer, Jeffries accuse Trump of calling for ‘execution of elected officials’
Key Points
President Trump publicly accused six Democratic lawmakers of “seditious behavior, punishable by death” on his Truth Social platform.
Trump’s posts were a direct response to a video released by these lawmakers, many of whom are military or intelligence veterans, reminding service members to refuse illegal orders.
Democratic leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, strongly condemned Trump’s comments, interpreting them as calls for the execution of elected officials and incitement to political violence.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt denied that Trump was calling for lawmakers to be executed but criticized the Democrats’ video as dangerous and potentially illegal, arguing it encouraged defiance of lawful orders.
The lawmakers involved in the video issued a joint statement affirming their stance, stating they were merely restating the law and would not be intimidated by Trump’s threats.
Discussions and actions were taken to enhance the safety and security of the targeted Democratic lawmakers.
The Justice Department is reviewing the actions of the Democratic lawmakers regarding their video message.
Unique Highlights
CNN reported that Sen. Elissa Slotkin was accompanied by United States Capitol Police officers to an event in Washington, D.C., following Trump’s comments. It also noted GOP Sen. Rand Paul’s sentiment that it’s not “really a good idea to talk about jailing your political opponents, or hanging them, or whatever else.” House Speaker Mike Johnson stated he interpreted Trump’s suggestion of punishment by death as simply defining the crime of sedition. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche called the Democrats’ video a “disgusting and inappropriate display of supposed leadership from the Democrat Party.”
NBC News mentioned that Trump adviser Stephen Miller had condemned the video as “openly calling for insurrection.” The article detailed that Rep. Chris Deluzio had received threats since the president posted his message and was taking precautions with the Capitol Police. It provided a broader context on rising concerns over political violence, including the murders of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and a Minnesota lawmaker, an arson attack on Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s home, and two assassination attempts against Trump, noting that Trump had previously accused the left of being primarily responsible for political violence.
The Washington Post highlighted that some representatives were hearing from service members questioning the legality of strikes targeting alleged narcotics traffickers by sea. It detailed specific examples of Trump administration actions that have triggered legal concerns or disputes, such as the deployment of the National Guard in several states (including a federal judge ruling a violation of the Posse Comitatus Act in California), deliberations about extending strikes into Venezuelan territory, and the use of U.S. military pilots to deport migrants. The article provided a broader context of Trump’s second-term actions in seeking retribution against perceived foes, including pushing out a federal prosecutor to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI director James B. Comey, and initiating probes against Obama administration officials, Senator Adam Schiff, and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. It also mentioned Trump directing the Justice Department to investigate prominent Democrats’ ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
The Wall Street Journal specifically quoted Trump’s post that an “example MUST BE SET” regarding the lawmakers’ actions. It mentioned that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche referred to the Democrats’ video as “propaganda.”
Fox News reported that Sen. Lindsey Graham questioned the lawmakers about what specific unlawful orders were being made, stating, “What is an unlawful order, what the f— is it? What have we done?” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that “the sanctity of our military rests on the chain of command, and if that chain of command is broken, it can lead to people getting killed, it can lead to chaos.”
The New York Times noted that Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune disagreed with Trump’s “punishable by death” comment, though he also criticized the Democrats’ video as “ill advised, provocative and unnecessary.” The article highlighted the apparent contradiction between Trump’s current rhetoric and his past calls to lower the temperature of political rhetoric after the murder of Charlie Kirk. It mentioned Trump’s posts appeared at a moment when he was beset by challenges, including the Jeffrey Epstein saga, a revolt from some loyal party members, and dipping poll numbers.
Contrasting Details
Interpretation of Trump’s “Punishable by Death” Statement:
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt (CNN, NBC News, The Washington Post, Fox News, The New York Times) denied that President Trump was calling for the execution of members of Congress, instead framing his comments as a response to the Democrats encouraging defiance of lawful orders.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (CNN, NBC News) interpreted Trump’s “punishable by death” comment as the president merely defining the crime of sedition.
Conversely, Democratic leaders such as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (CNN, NBC News, Fox News, The New York Times) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (CNN, NBC News, Fox News) explicitly stated that Trump was calling for the execution or murder of elected officials and described his rhetoric as an outright, deadly serious threat.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham (CNN, Fox News) acknowledged that Trump’s reaction was “over the top,” even while criticizing the Democrats’ video. Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune (The New York Times) stated, “I don’t agree with that” regarding Trump’s death penalty suggestion.
Legality and Intent of the Democrats’ Video:
The Democratic lawmakers (all articles) maintained they were simply restating the established law that military members are obligated to refuse unlawful orders, fulfilling their oath to the Constitution.
White House officials and some Republicans, however, characterized the video differently. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt (NBC News, The Washington Post, Fox News) stated the lawmakers were “encouraging them to defy the president’s lawful orders” and sending a “very dangerous message” that “perhaps is punishable by law.” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche (CNN, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal) called the video a “disgusting and inappropriate display of supposed leadership” and “propaganda,” suggesting the lawmakers “should all be held to account.” Tim Parlatore, a legal adviser to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (The Washington Post), warned that encouraging troops to gamble their careers on “personal interpretations of partisan politics” could lead to chaos and undermine the chain of command.
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