Trump labels Democrats “seditious,” calls for death

President Donald Trump sparked outrage by sharing posts on Truth Social calling for six Democratic members of Congress to be executed. Trump labeled their recent video urging U.S. military and intelligence personnel to refuse illegal orders as “seditious behavior, punishable by death,” and reshared posts calling for the lawmakers to be “hung.”

The six lawmakers targeted include Senators Elissa Slotkin and Mark Kelly, and Representatives Chrissy Houlahan, Maggie Goodlander, Chris Deluzio, and Jason Crow. In their video, they reminded service members that their oath is to the Constitution, not any individual, and emphasized that illegal orders must be refused. Trump accused them of treason and labeled their actions “sedition at the highest level,” declaring, “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer condemned Trump’s posts in strong terms. “Earlier today, Donald Trump shared a post on Truth Social calling for Democratic members of Congress to be hanged. He also posted a message that said, seditious behavior, punishable by death,” Schumer said. “Let’s be crystal clear. The President of the United States is calling for the execution of elected officials.” He added that such rhetoric “does more than divide the country; it lights a match in a nation already soaked with political gasoline,” warning it could lead to violence.

Other Democratic leaders echoed Schumer’s concerns. House Democrats including Hakeem Jeffries and Katherine Clark called Trump’s posts “disgusting and dangerous” and urged him to retract his violent language immediately. The six targeted lawmakers released a joint statement asserting that “no threat, intimidation, or call for violence will deter us from that sacred obligation” to uphold the Constitution.

Legal experts note that while sedition is a crime under U.S. law, there is no civilian statute permitting execution, and military law only allows extreme penalties under highly specific conditions. Critics argue that Trump’s statements are dangerously inflammatory, threatening both the safety of elected officials and the stability of democratic norms.

Security agencies are reportedly coordinating protections for the six lawmakers as the fallout from Trump’s posts continues to dominate national headlines.