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Democratic officials demonstrated outrage after the ex-president alleged a group of Democratic legislators of being "traitors" and asserted they should be detained and penalized "through capital punishment" following their posting of a disputed video.

The Content That Sparked the Dispute

The video footage, released on earlier this week, showcases six Democratic elected officials who in the past worked in armed forces or security roles.

"Similar to us, you all made an pledge to defend and support this constitution," the officials affirmed in the 90-second video. "At present, the threats to our constitution are not only from foreign nations, but from domestically. Our regulations are explicit, you can reject improper directives, you can refuse illegal orders, you should decline illegal orders. No one has to execute directives that violate the law or our founding principles."

Trump's Incensed Response

The recorded statement appeared to provoke a furious response from the previous commander-in-chief.

On Thursday morning, Trump wrote on Truth Social: "It's called SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL."

In a separate message, he declared: "This constitutes really bad, and Harmful to our Nation. Their words cannot be allowed to persist. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???"

In a third post, he continued: "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, liable by DEATH!" He also redistributed a comment that read: "HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!"

Opposition Representatives Answer

Following Trump's comments on that day, Top Democrats released a joint declaration censuring the statements.

"Partisan aggression has no place in America," they stated. "Representatives who participated in the video all acted our nation with exceptional loyalty and excellence. We strongly denounce Donald Trump's appalling and risky threats of violence against congressional representatives, and appeal to House Republicans to vigorously do the same."

The party representatives also said that they had been in touch with protective services "to make certain the safety of these officials and their relatives."

"Donald Trump must without delay take down these extreme online messages and retract his dangerous language before he causes harm," the announcement continued.

Lawmakers' Firm Reaction

The officials who appeared in the video also published a response.

"We serve as veterans and national security professionals who love this country and took an oath to safeguard and defend the national charter of the United States," they said. "That oath is permanent, and we plan to keep it. No threat, intimidation, or call for violence will deter us from that important duty."

"The significant point is that the ex-president deems it liable to punishment by capital punishment for us to reiterate the legal requirements," they stated. "Armed forces members should know that we have their backs as they fulfill their oath to the constitution and responsibility to follow only proper directives. It is not only the correct thing to do, but also our obligation."

They continued: "The entire nation must join forces and condemn the president's requests for our execution and political violence. This is a period for principled stance."

Additional Governmental Comments

The Democratic Senate minority leader also condemned Trump's remarks and published on social media: "We must be absolutely clear: the President of the United States is calling for the capital punishment of elected officials."

He added: "This represents an outright THREAT. All senators, every Representative, every American – without partisan consideration – should condemn this without delay and unconditionally."

The GOP leader justified Trump's claim that the Democrats had engaged in "treason", describing the video as "highly unsuitable", adding: "This represents very risky, you have important representatives of Congress instructing troops to disobey orders, I think that's historic in the nation's past."

The GOP official also allegedly stated to media outlets that in what he read of Trump's messages, Trump was "defining the offense of treason" but that "attorneys have to examine the terminology and establish all that."

White House Statement

During a White House press conference on that day, when asked by a journalist, "Would the president want to execute congressional representatives?", the administration spokesperson responded: "Certainly not."

"It's important to note about what the former president is reacting to," the official stated. "You have current representatives of the American legislature who conspired to arrange a video message to members of the US military, to active duty service members advising them to ignore the executive's proper directives."

She added: "The sanctity of our armed forces rests on the command structure, and if that structure is broken, it can lead to casualties, it can result in chaos, and that's what these elected officials ... are fundamentally promoting."