The six Democrats, all of whom are veterans, are calling on US military and intelligence officials to "refuse to carry out illegal orders."
“This administration is pitting our military and intelligence officials against American citizens,” the Democrats said in the video statement .
"No one must carry out orders that violate the law or our constitution," they further say.
“Lock in”
Trump comments on the video on Truth Social, writing that it is "really bad and dangerous for our country," and that the Democrats are "traitors."
"Lock them up???" Trump writes and continues in another post:
“Seditious behavior, punishable by death!”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries says the congressional security chief and police have been contacted to secure the affected "members and their families."
"Donald Trump must immediately delete these deranged social media posts and back off on his violent rhetoric before he gets someone killed," the statement said.
The Democrats behind the video are Senators Elissa Slotkin and Mark Kelly, and House members Jason Crow, Maggie Goodlander, Chris Deluzio, and Chrissy Houlahan.
“Sick in the head”
They say in a joint statement that they are not deterred by threats.
"The most telling thing is that the president believes it is punishable by death for us to repeat the law," the politicians write.
California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom comments on X.
“This man is sick in the head,” he writes about Trump.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt answered "no" when asked if Trump actually wants his political opponents executed. Leavitt instead said that the video message "may be punishable" and that any call to "defy the chain of command, to disobey lawful orders" is "a dangerous thing."
Swear allegiance
American military and intelligence officers swear allegiance to the U.S. Constitution and promise to protect the country from “foreign and domestic” enemies. The oath also includes a requirement to obey the orders of the president and superiors, but to do so within the law.
At the same time, soldiers risk being punished if a refused order turns out to be legal.
The Democrats' video statement comes against the backdrop of the Trump administration's deadly attacks on what are described as drug traffickers, particularly in the Caribbean Sea, and the National Guard's operations in American cities.
