Washington, D.C. — November 20, 2025. President Donald Trump escalated a political firestorm on Thursday after accusing six Democratic lawmakers of engaging in “seditious behavior” — conduct he claimed was “punishable by DEATH” — following the release of a video in which the legislators urged U.S. military personnel to uphold the Constitution and refuse any “illegal orders.”

The 90-second video, first posted by Sen. Elissa Slotkin on X, featured Slotkin, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, and Representatives Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander and Chrissy Houlahan. All six are veterans of the military or the intelligence community. Speaking directly to service members, the lawmakers called this a moment of “enormous stress and pressure,” insisting troops “stand up for our laws and our Constitution” and reject unlawful directives.

Their message quickly turned into a flashpoint. Trump reposted multiple reactions to the video, adding his own commentary in which he labeled the lawmakers “TRAITORS” and suggested they should be “LOCKED UP.” In a separate post, he wrote: “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH,” intensifying concerns about violent rhetoric at a volatile moment for U.S. politics.

The White House defended the president’s comments, arguing that the Democrats’ message encouraging disobedience in the chain of command was “perhaps punishable by law.” Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that calling on troops not to follow orders posed a “very dangerous” precedent. She declined to answer whether the president was advocating capital punishment for the lawmakers.

Democrats responded with alarm. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the president for “lighting a match in a country soaked with political gasoline,” warning that such language risked inciting violence. Republican Speaker Mike Johnson defended Trump, saying he did not believe the president was calling for executions but merely “defining a crime,” labeling the Democrats’ video “wildly inappropriate.”

At the center of the debate is a longstanding legal and ethical question: can U.S. troops refuse orders they deem illegal? Military law states that service members have the obligation to reject unlawful orders — but also face punishment if they defy commands later found to be legal.

The Pentagon rejected accusations that the administration is issuing illegal directives. “Our military follows orders, and our civilians give legal orders,” Defense Department spokesperson Sean Parnell said. “We love the Constitution. These politicians are out of their minds.”

The controversy comes as the administration continues attempts to deploy National Guard troops for domestic operations, some of which have been challenged in court. The video’s release — and Trump’s explosive reaction — underscore mounting tensions between the White House, Congress and the military at a time of heightened political division.