Another political firestorm erupted in Washington after President Trump delivered a blistering rebuke of six Democratic lawmakers, prompting immediate backlash from the left.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) who is one of the six senators Trump targeted, aid she believed he should “button it up” after he accused the lawmakers of encouraging service members to defy unlawful orders.
Trump had warned that their actions amounted to the behavior of “traitors,” language that sent shockwaves across Capitol Hill.
“I would just call upon him and everybody to button it up when it comes to threatening violence against people you disagree with,” Slotkin commented.
We want to speak directly to members of the Military and the Intelligence Community.
The American people need you to stand up for our laws and our Constitution.
Don’t give up the ship. pic.twitter.com/N8lW0EpQ7r
— Sen. Elissa Slotkin (@SenatorSlotkin) November 18, 2025
Slotkin told Nexstar that she wanted the White House to stop using rhetoric she views as dangerous, noting a “huge spike in death threats and intimidation” sent to her office following Trump’s remarks.
According to her, the U.S. Capitol Police and House Sergeant at Arms William McFarland had urged her to increase security as tensions escalated.
The president posted on Truth Social condemning the lawmakers’ message to military personnel on Thursday.
Earlier this morning, President Trump threatened me and a group of service and veteran Members of Congress with arrest, trial, and death by hanging.
Here’s my response: pic.twitter.com/jIZYrQTlP7
— Sen. Elissa Slotkin (@SenatorSlotkin) November 20, 2025
He described their remarks as “really bad, and Dangerous to our Country” and insisted, “Their words cannot be allowed to stand.”
He highlighted what he called “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???” and later added a pointed line: “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”
Trump’s fury stemmed from a video in which Slotkin appeared alongside Sens. Mark Kelly, Jason Crow, Chrissy Houlahan, Chris Deluzio and Maggie Goodlander.
All six lawmakers have backgrounds in either the military or intelligence community, and their message stated clearly that service members are permitted to refuse illegal orders.
Lock Them Up! Russiagate is reigniting…
Obama, Clinton, Comey, and Brennan are all on the hook!
CLICK HERE to demand Russiagate conspirators got to prison!
The video did not directly accuse the administration of any specific misconduct, but they raised questions about recent deployments of National Guard forces in American cities.
In response to Trump’s online broadside, the six Democrats issued a joint statement pushing back on his interpretation of their video.
They argued that the president’s outrage revealed more about his own approach than about their intentions, saying it was “telling” that Trump viewed their remarks as criminal.
The President of the United States just called for Democratic members of Congress to be executed. "HANG THEM", he posted.
If you're a person of influence in this country and you haven't picked a side, maybe now would be the time to pick a fucking side. pic.twitter.com/NtQhUe5wyn
— Chris Murphy 🟧 (@ChrisMurphyCT) November 20, 2025
They insisted that it was their responsibility to remind troops of their duty to follow only lawful orders.
“Our servicemembers should know that we have their backs as they fulfill their oath to the Constitution and obligation to follow only lawful orders. It is not only the right thing to do, but also our duty,” they said.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt moved quickly to clarify the administration’s position.
When asked by a reporter whether the president wanted the lawmakers to be executed, she responded, “No,” and redirected the conversation toward what prompted Trump’s reaction.
She said critics were focused on the president’s remarks rather than on what the six Democrats had said in their video.
Leavitt disputed the idea that Trump had issued illegal orders and accused the lawmakers of encouraging service members to defy the chain of command, calling it “a very dangerous thing” for sitting members of Congress to promote.
She said the president believed such behavior should lead to real consequences.
“They should be held accountable,” Leavitt added. “And that’s what the president wants to see.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he did not agree with the president’s post, calling the Democrats’ comments “ill advised” and “provocative,” though he declined to say whether Trump should apologize.
Thune told reporters he was “not in the business of giving the president advice.” His position reflected a recurring divide inside the party, particularly when the president’s rhetoric fuels controversy at the Capitol.
Democrats seized on Trump’s comments to deliver harsh criticism of the Commander-in-Chief.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared before cameras alongside Reps. Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar, accusing the president of recklessness.
They demanded he “immediately delete these unhinged social media posts and recant his violent rhetoric before he gets someone killed.”
They described the remarks as “disgusting and dangerous” and claimed they were consistent with what they characterized as Trump’s history of targeting veterans, military families and other service members.
Sen. John Fetterman joined their chorus, writing on X that he “strongly reject[s] this dangerous rhetoric” and that threats directed at any lawmakers, “Republican or Democrat,” were completely unacceptable.
I strongly reject this dangerous rhetoric.
Do not threaten Members of Congress.
Republican or Democrat.
It’s deeply wrong with no exceptions—ever. pic.twitter.com/M4IeKZ3zMO
— U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) November 20, 2025
Sen. Chris Murphy escalated the confrontation further, telling high profile Americans to “pick a f—ing side.”
“The President of the United States just called for Democratic members of Congress to be executed. ‘HANG THEM’, he posted,” Murphy said in a post on the social platform X.
“If you’re a person of influence in this country and you haven’t picked a side, maybe now would be the time to pick a f‑‑‑ing side,” he added.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer added his voice to the pile on, arguing that Trump had once again crossed a line.
Donald Trump has made political violence a feature of his politics.
Today he crossed yet another line that NO democracy can afford to tolerate.
He must be condemned—forcefully, loudly, and without excuses. pic.twitter.com/fmTpzqg9Gn
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) November 20, 2025
“He must be condemned—forcefully, loudly, and without excuses,” Schumer posted.
