The Democrats whom President Donald Trump called “traitors” and threatened with the death penalty on Truth Social blasted his rhetoric as incitement to “murder and political violence,” saying it is instead “a time for moral clarity.”
Trump took to social media Thursday and reprimanded the group, Sens. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ), along with Reps. Jason Crow (D-CO), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), Chris Deluzio (D-PA) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), over a Tuesday PSA that urged U.S. troops to be wary of following any “illegal orders” that may come out of the White House. The Democrats, who are all veterans themselves, released the video and drew immediate ire from the president.
“We are veterans and national security professionals who love this country and swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States,” the group of congressional Democrats said in a joint statement on Thursday after Trump said their video was “punishable by death.” “That oath lasts a lifetime, and we intend to keep it. No threat, intimidation, or call for violence will deter us from that sacred obligation.”
In the second half of their message, the politicians pointed out Trump’s call for violence.
“What’s most telling is that the President considers it punishable by death for us to restate the law,” the message reads. “Our servicemembers should know that we have their backs as they fulfill their oath to the Constitution and obligation to follow only lawful orders. It is not only the right thing to do, but also our duty.”
It continued: “But this isn’t about any one of us. This isn’t about politics. This is about who we are as Americans. Every American must unite and condemn the President’s calls for our murder and political violence. This is a time for moral clarity. In these moments, fear is contagious, but so is courage. We will continue to lead and will not be intimidated.”
Their Tuesday warning statement sent Trump spiraling on his Truth Social page on Thursday where he pulled no punches on what he thought should happen to the left-wing leaders.
“This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country,” Trump said in a series of posts. “Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP??? President DJT.”
In a third post, he wrote: “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”
On Thursday, Speaker Mike Johnson reportedly defended Trump’s remarks and said the Democrats were behaving “wildly inappropriate.”
“That is a factual statement,” Johnson said, mentioning that he didn’t see all of Trump’s comments. “For a senator like Mark Kelly or any member of the House or Senate to behave in that kind of talks is to me so just beyond the pale.”
