United States President Donald Trump intensified his criticism of Democratic lawmakers who recently released a video urging members of the US military to refuse illegal orders, describing them as “traitors” and suggesting they should be jailed for sedition.

The controversy follows a 90-second video posted on Tuesday by Senator Elissa Slotkin, a former CIA officer, featuring several Democrats with military or intelligence backgrounds. In the video, the lawmakers warned that the Trump administration is allegedly “pitting our uniformed military against American citizens” and urged service members to “stand up for our laws,” emphasizing that “you can refuse illegal orders.”

Trump’s Response and Calls for Punishment

Late on Saturday, Trump escalated the rhetoric on social media:

“THE TRAITORS THAT TOLD THE MILITARY TO DISOBEY MY ORDERS SHOULD BE IN JAIL RIGHT NOW… IT WASN’T, AND NEVER WILL BE! IT WAS SEDITION AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL, AND SEDITION IS A MAJOR CRIME.”

Earlier in the week, Trump had provoked outrage by appearing to call for the death penalty for the Democrats involved:

“SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”

Trump doubled down despite widespread criticism from both the public and members of Congress. Democrats accused him of endangering their lives and directly calling for their deaths. Chrissy Houlahan, who appeared in the video, told CNN:

“There’s no other way to interpret that other than a call for our death.”

Legal Context

The legal framework surrounding Trump’s statements is complex. As commander-in-chief, the president issues orders to the military, and officers are legally obligated to follow lawful orders. However, military personnel also swear an oath to uphold the US Constitution, and the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) only provides penalties for refusing lawful orders.

International law similarly emphasizes that soldiers must disobey manifestly unlawful orders, as outlined by the International Committee of the Red Cross. Legal scholars have noted that the Democratic lawmakers’ video did not specify any particular illegal orders but came amid Trump’s efforts to deploy federal forces to several Democratic-led US cities, heightening tensions.

Political Fallout

The controversy adds to a turbulent period in US politics marked by high-profile political violence. Earlier this year, right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk was assassinated in September, and Democratic Minnesota state lawmaker Melissa Hortman was killed in June, increasing concerns over political safety and rhetoric.

Trump has remained undeterred by criticism, claiming that “many great legal scholars” agree the Democrats’ message constitutes a serious crime. The episode is likely to deepen partisan divisions ahead of the 2025 election cycle and continues to fuel debate over military obedience, constitutional duty, and presidential authority.