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Democratic officials demonstrated fury after the ex-president charged a group of Democratic representatives of being "traitors" and declared they should be taken into custody and penalized "with execution" following their posting of a controversial video.

The Content That Triggered the Dispute

The recorded message, published on earlier this week, features six Democratic elected officials who in the past served in military or intelligence capacities.

"Similar to us, you all took an vow to protect and uphold this constitution," the representatives stated in the 90-second video. "And right now, the threats to our governing document aren't just from abroad, but from right here at home. Our regulations are explicit, you can refuse improper directives, you can refuse illegal orders, you must reject illegal orders. No one has to execute commands that violate the legal system or our founding principles."

The Former President's Angry Reply

The clip reportedly trigger a furious response from the former president.

On the following morning, Trump posted on Truth Social: "This represents SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. Each one of these betrayers to our Nation should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL."

In another publication, he declared: "This represents really serious, and Dangerous to our United States. Their comments cannot be permitted to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???"

In a subsequent post, he added: "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, subject to punishment by DEATH!" He also shared a statement that stated: "HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!"

Opposition Leaders Answer

Following Trump's statements on Thursday, Top Democrats published a joint declaration denouncing the remarks.

"Violent politics has no role in the United States," they stated. "Elected officials who were featured in the video all served our nation with great patriotism and honor. We clearly denounce Donald Trump's appalling and harmful calls for execution against elected officials, and urge Republican lawmakers to strongly do the same."

The party representatives also mentioned that they had been in contact with law enforcement "to ensure the safety of these officials and their relatives."

"Donald Trump must without delay delete these unhinged online messages and retract his violent rhetoric before he gets someone killed," the declaration added.

Officials' Strong Response

The officials who were featured in the video also published a statement.

"We serve as veterans and security experts who care for this United States and made an pledge to defend and support the national charter of the United States," they declared. "That oath is permanent, and we aim to keep it. No threat, pressure, or promotion of aggression will stop us from that sacred duty."

"The most revealing aspect is that the president considers it subject to penalty by capital punishment for us to restate the law," they stated. "Our service members should understand that we have their backs as they fulfill their oath to the founding principles and obligation to follow only legal commands. It is not only the correct thing to do, but also our duty."

They stated: "Every American must come together and condemn the former president's calls for our murder and partisan aggression. This is a time for principled stance."

Additional Partisan Reactions

The Opposition leader also denounced Trump's comments and published on social media: "It's important to understand: the former president is requesting the capital punishment of government members."

He added: "This constitutes an direct THREAT. Each congressional member, all representatives, the entire nation – irrespective of political affiliation – should censure this immediately and without qualification."

The GOP leader defended Trump's assertion that the Democrats had been involved in "treason", labeling the video as "wildly inappropriate", stating: "This constitutes very dangerous, you have leading members of the legislature telling military personnel to ignore directives, I think that's unprecedented in American history."

The Conservative representative also allegedly stated to journalists that in what he reviewed of Trump's posts, Trump was "explaining the offense of sedition" but that "legal experts have to parse the language and establish all that."

Administration Reaction

During a White House press conference on later that day, when asked by a journalist, "Does the president want to kill elected officials?", the White House press secretary replied: "Absolutely not."

"It's important to note about what the president is responding to," the spokesperson stated. "You have sitting members of the American legislature who conspired to organize a recorded statement to personnel of the national defense, to current military personnel advising them to ignore the executive's legal commands."

She stated: "The purity of our armed forces relies on the command structure, and if that chain of command is broken, it can cause people getting killed, it can result in disorder, and precisely what these congressional representatives ... are basically encouraging."