President labels Rep. Jason Crow and others ‘traitors’ for video urging the military not to follow unlawful orders

President Donald Trump has accused Democratic lawmakers who filmed a message to U.S. service members urging them to not to follow illegal orders of “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR punishable by DEATH!”

Among the Democrats featured in the video is Colorado Rep. Jason Crow, a former Army Ranger. All of the half-dozen members of Congress who participated are veterans or former intelligence officials.

In the video, the Democrats said the Trump administration is “pitting our uniformed military” against American citizens and called on them to “stand up for our laws, our Constitution. Don’t give up the ship.” 

The lawmakers do not reference any examples of what they deem illegal orders.

The president took to Truth Social to condemn the video.

Trump wrote in another post that “their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???”

The president also reposted responses to video from his supporters, including one who wrote, “HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!”

When asked during a press briefing Thursday afternoon if Trump wants to execute members of Congress, White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said, “No.”

But she went on to criticize what the Democrats’ message in the video, while also misquoting it, saying these Democrats "conspired together” and encouraged service members “to defy the President's lawful orders.”

Again, Democrats’s message was to remind service members “they could refuse illegal orders.”

In a joint statement, Crow and the others in the video — Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, Rep. Chris DeLuzio of Pennsylvania, Rep. Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, and Rep. Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania — said, “no threat, intimidation, or call for violence will deter us” from the oath they swore to protect and defend the Constitution. 

“What's most telling is that the President considers it punishable by death for us to restate the law.,” they wrote. “Every American must unite and condemn the President's call for our murder and political violence.”

Other Colorado Democrats are speaking out against Trump’s posts.

Rep. Diana DeGette said on social media, “this is incredibly violent rhetoric that is going to jeopardize the safety of my colleagues.”

Sen. John Hickenlooper called it, “bone-chilling rhetoric. Trump’s words are not how we deal with disagreements in America,” while wondering if Republicans would condemn it.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, however, defended Trump to reporters, saying that what Democrats said in the video was “wildly inappropriate.”

“For a senator like Mark Kelly or any member of the House or Senate to behave in that kind of talk is to me so just beyond the pale,” Johnson told reporters.

Even before the president’s social media posts, some Republicans were criticizing the Democrat’s video.

GOP Rep. Jeff Crank, whose El Paso County district has five military installations, called it “reckless” and told service members they must “follow the lawful order of your commanding officer.”

GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham wrote to the Democrats who participated, saying he was “disturbed” by the video and asking them to provide “clarify” on what orders from Trump they consider illegal.

Trump’s social media posts come amid concerns over heightened political violence in the wake of killings of conservative provocateur Charlie Kirk in September and Democratic state Rep. Melissa Hortman in Minnesota in June, as well as the attempt on the life of Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman, an arson attack of Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and even Trump himself in 2024.

A new poll from the Colorado Polling Institute found that 65 percent of Coloradans think political violence in the country will worsen over the next few years, while 17 percent expect it to remain the same. Only seven percent expect it to ease.