President Donald Trump erupted on Truth Social Thursday over a video released by a group of Democratic lawmakers reminding U.S. service members that their oath is to the Constitution, not to any one president. In a series of posts, Trump accused the lawmakers—military veterans themselves—of “seditious behavior at the highest level” and called them “traitors to our country” who should be “arrested and put on trial.”
“Their words cannot be allowed to stand – We won’t have a Country anymore!!!” he added. Later, after deleting the initial post, Trump returned with: “Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???”
The video in question featured Senators Elissa Slotkin and Mark Kelly, along with Representatives Jason Crow, Maggie Goodlander, Chris Deluzio, and Chrissy Houlahan. The lawmakers warned military and intelligence personnel about “threats to our Constitution” coming “from right here at home” and repeatedly reminded service members: “You can refuse illegal orders.”
Jason Crow, a former Army Ranger who served three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, defended the video on Fox News Wednesday, pointing to Trump’s past statements encouraging National Guard soldiers to shoot protesters, the potential use of federalized troops for domestic law enforcement, and threats to deploy troops at polling stations during next year’s midterm elections.
“I don’t want to wait until that happens to remind our troops of this obligation because then it will be too late,” Crow said. “We are standing by our troops, our service members who are often put in very difficult positions and Donald Trump has put them in very difficult positions and has alluded to putting them in even more difficult positions in the months and years ahead, so we are reminding folks about what the uniform code of military justice says, what the Constitution says, what the law of war says.”
Despite Trump’s claims, legal experts note that lawmakers enjoy broad immunity for statements made in their official capacity, and political speech is protected under the First Amendment. U.S. law criminalizing anti-government speech as “sedition” has not existed since 1920. The rare criminal charge of “seditious conspiracy” only applies when there is a conspiracy to use force against the government—a standard not met by a video urging troops to follow the law.
The president’s flare-up comes after his deputy chief of staff and homeland security adviser, Stephen Miller, accused the lawmakers of issuing a “general call for rebellion… from the CIA and the armed services,” calling it “insurrection, plainly, directly, without question.”
The video also sparked a menacing reaction from Todd Blanche, the current Deputy Attorney General and former personal attorney to Trump.
Kelly, a former NASA astronaut and Navy combat pilot, responded sharply: “I got shot at serving our country in combat, and I was there when your boss sent a violent mob to attack the Capitol. I know the difference between defending our Constitution and an insurrection, even if you don’t.”
The confrontation underscores the stark divide over the role of the military, the limits of presidential power, and the reach of political speech. A group of veterans reminding troops to uphold the Constitution has drawn a president’s demand for arrest in a dramatic escalation.
Watch the video below:
