Democrats Denounce Trump After He Suggests They Should Face Death Penalty
Lawmakers from the Democratic party demonstrated fury after Donald Trump alleged a contingent of Democratic congress members of being "betrayers" and asserted they should be arrested and penalized "with execution" following their posting of a disputed video.
The Content That Provoked the Controversy
The recorded message, released on earlier this week, includes six Democratic elected officials who formerly served in defense or defense roles.
"As we did, you all made an pledge to protect and support this founding document," the lawmakers stated in the short video. "At present, the threats to our democratic foundation aren't just from overseas, but from domestically. Our laws are unambiguous, you can refuse illegal orders, you can decline improper directives, you have to reject illegal orders. No one has to follow commands that break the law or our national charter."
Donald Trump's Angry Response
The clip appeared to provoke a angry reply from the previous commander-in-chief.
On later in the week, Trump published on his preferred platform: "This represents SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. Each one of these betrayers to our United States should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL."
In another post, he wrote: "This is really concerning, and Dangerous to our United States. Their words cannot be allowed to persist. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???"
In a subsequent message, he added: "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, liable by DEATH!" He also shared a comment that said: "HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!"
Democratic Representatives Respond
Following Trump's comments on Thursday, Democratic leadership issued a joint announcement condemning the statements.
"Political violence has no place in the United States," they stated. "Elected officials who participated in the video all served our United States with tremendous patriotism and excellence. We unequivocally censure Donald Trump's appalling and dangerous threats of violence against congressional representatives, and call on Republican lawmakers to forcefully do the same."
The party representatives also said that they had been in communication with security officials "to ensure the protection of these officials and their families."
"Donald Trump must without delay take down these radical social media posts and withdraw his dangerous language before he leads to violence," the announcement added.
Representatives' Strong Reaction
The officials who were featured in the video also released a declaration.
"We serve as ex-military personnel and defense specialists who love this nation and swore an vow to protect and defend the national charter of the United States," they said. "This commitment lasts a lifetime, and we plan to honor it. No threat, intimidation, or incitement will prevent us from that fundamental obligation."
"The most revealing aspect is that the ex-president views it subject to penalty by capital punishment for us to repeat the statutes," they continued. "Military personnel should understand that we have their backs as they execute their vow to the national charter and obligation to obey only lawful orders. It is not only the correct thing to do, but also our responsibility."
They added: "Every American must come together and denounce the ex-president's calls for our execution and ideological conflict. This is a period for principled stance."
Further Governmental Responses
The Opposition leader also denounced Trump's remarks and published on online networks: "We must be absolutely clear: the ex-commander in chief is requesting the execution of elected officials."
He stated: "This represents an clear THREAT. All senators, each house member, all citizens – without partisan consideration – should censure this without delay and absolutely."
The Conservative official supported Trump's assertion that the Democrats had been involved in "rebellion", characterizing the video as "extremely improper", commenting: "This constitutes very risky, you have important representatives of the government telling military personnel to ignore directives, I think that is historic in American history."
The Republican leader also according to sources told journalists that in what he reviewed of Trump's messages, Trump was "defining the crime of treason" but that "legal experts have to analyze the terminology and establish all that."
Administration Response
During a executive branch meeting on later that day, when questioned by a reporter, "Is the president want to execute congressional representatives?", the executive branch representative responded: "No."
"It's important to note about what the ex-commander in chief is addressing," the official declared. "You have sitting members of the US Congress who coordinated to arrange a recorded statement to individuals of the national defense, to active duty service members encouraging them to defy the president's proper directives."
She added: "The purity of our armed forces rests on the hierarchy, and if that structure is broken, it can cause people getting killed, it can cause confusion, and precisely what these elected officials ... are basically promoting."