Death Threats from the Oval Office
Six lawmakers who served their country reminded troops about illegal orders. Trump wants them executed for it.
He Wants Them Dead
This morning, Donald Trump posted something that should make every single American stop cold. At 7:21 AM on November 20, 2025, the President of the United States wrote on his social media platform: “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”
His target? Six members of Congress who dared to remind our military personnel of something every service member learns on day one: you have the right and the duty to refuse illegal orders.
Think about what just happened. The President of the United States just called for the death penalty for sitting members of Congress. Not metaphorically. Not in some coded language. He literally used the words “punishable by DEATH” and followed up by saying these elected representatives should be “ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL.”
Let me be crystal clear about who Trump wants dead. Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan was recruited by the CIA as a Middle East analyst after graduate school, served three tours in Iraq as a militia expert working alongside the U.S. military, and was fluent in Arabic and Swahili. Between tours, she held defense and intelligence positions under both Presidents Bush and Obama, including roles at the White House and Office of the Director of National Intelligence. From 2015 to 2017, she served as acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, overseeing policy related to Russia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona flew 39 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm as a Navy pilot deployed on the aircraft carrier USS Midway. He received two Distinguished Flying Crosses, four Air Medals (two with Combat “V”), two Navy Commendation Medals (one with combat “V”), and retired from the Navy with the rank of Captain. As a naval aviator and test pilot, he logged over 5,000 hours in more than 50 different aircraft and completed over 375 carrier landings. After his Navy career, he was selected as a NASA astronaut in 1996 and flew four space shuttle missions, including commanding Space Shuttle Endeavour’s final flight in 2011.
Representative Jason Crow of Colorado served three combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne Division and 75th Ranger Regiment, earning a Bronze Star. Representative Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania served as a U.S. Air Force officer and project manager on air and space defense technologies at Hanscom Air Force Base. Representative Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, served as a surface warfare officer in the U.S. Navy from 2006 to 2012, and completed three deployments including a tour of duty with U.S. Army Civil Affairs in Iraq. Representative Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire served served as an intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve for 11 years, reaching the rank of lieutenant.
Every single one of these people put on a uniform and swore an oath to defend the Constitution. Every single one of them served this country with honor. Every single one of them knows what serving their country means because they lived it.
Trump? He dodged the draft five times. Five times he found excuses to avoid serving the country he now leads. Five times he claimed bone spurs while other Americans went to Vietnam and died. This coward and 34-time convicted felon now sits in the Oval Office calling for the execution of people who actually wore the uniform.
What Was Their Crime
Here is what these six lawmakers did that Trump considers worthy of death. They created a video. In the video, they spoke directly to current members of the military and intelligence community. They said: “You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders.”
That’s the entire crime. They reminded service members of established military law.
Every person who serves in the United States military takes an oath to the Constitution, not to any president. Military members swear to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. They do not swear loyalty to the Commander in Chief. They do not promise blind obedience to any person. Their oath is to the document that defines our democracy.
The Uniform Code of Military Justice is clear. Service members have the right to refuse illegal orders. The National Lawyers Guild Military Law Task Force confirms this. Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute defines what counts as an unlawful order: anything contrary to the Constitution, contrary to the laws of the United States, or beyond the authority of the official issuing the order.
These six veterans did not tell military members to stage a coup. They did not encourage abandoning posts. They did not suggest mutiny. They reminded people in uniform of their legal obligations and their rights under the law.
For this, Trump wants them dead.
The Hypocrisy Burns
Let me walk you through the gut punch of irony here. Trump screams about sedition. He shouts about traitors. He demands arrests and trials and executions.
This same man pardoned approximately 1,500 people charged and/or convicted of crimes related to January 6, 2021. On his first day back in office, he wiped clean the records of people who violently attacked the United States Capitol. He freed people who beat police officers with flagpoles. He pardoned people who sprayed chemical irritants in the faces of law enforcement. He released the leaders of the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys who were convicted of seditious conspiracy.
More than 140 police officers were injured on January 6. The attack caused $2.8 million in damage to the Capitol building. Over 600 people were charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers. Nearly 170 of them used deadly or dangerous weapons against police.
Trump called these violent criminals “patriots” and “hostages.” He campaigned on promises to free them. He made them heroes of his movement. On January 20, 2025, he signed their pardons and commutations in the Oval Office, grinning while he did.
Now he calls six brave men and women who served our country traitors for reminding people about the law.
Now he demands death sentences for lawmakers who told the truth about military obligations.
Right now Trump is doing all he can to try and distract you from the Epstein files. Let’s not let it happen.
The math here is simple and sickening. If you storm the Capitol, beat cops, and try to overturn an election, Trump sets you free. If you’re convicted child sex trafficker, Ghislaine Maxwell, you get moved to a low level prison in exchange for your silence. If you served your country honorably and remind people about following the law, Trump wants you executed.
Why This Is the Most Unpresidential Act Imaginable
Presidents have said terrible things before. Presidents have lied before. Presidents have abused power before. This is different. This crosses every line that separates a democracy from a dictatorship.
No president in American history has publicly called for the execution of sitting members of Congress for political speech. Not during the Civil War. Not during Watergate. Not during any impeachment. Not during any investigation. Never.
Trump did not suggest an investigation. He did not call for censure. He did not even demand resignations. He went straight to death. He used the word DEATH in all capital letters. He posted it for millions to see. He let the whole world watch an American president call for killing elected representatives.
This is the language of authoritarians. This is how dictators behave. This is what happens in countries where leaders eliminate opposition through violence and intimidation.
The people Trump targeted are not random critics. They are senators and representatives. They were elected by American citizens. They hold offices created by the Constitution. They have the same rights as every other American, plus additional protections designed to let them do their jobs without fear.
Trump knows this. He knows calling for their deaths is wrong. He knows threatening elected officials is illegal for ordinary citizens. He knows the presidency does not grant him the power to order executions of people he dislikes. He does not care. He wants violence. He wants fear. He wants submission.
The Military Oath Matters More Than Ever
Trump’s rage tells you everything you need to know about his plans. He is furious that six veterans reminded military members they have legal protections. He is livid that someone spoke truth to people in uniform. He wants absolute obedience with no questions asked.
This should terrify every American who cares about democracy. The military oath to the Constitution exists for exactly this reason. The founders of this country understood that presidents could become tyrants. They knew leaders could issue unlawful orders. They built in protections.
Service members swear to defend the Constitution because the Constitution is bigger than any one person. Laws matter more than loyalty to a president. Rights matter more than following commands.
When a president gets angry about people mentioning these basic principles, you know he plans to test them. When a president wants to punish people for talking about illegal orders, you know he intends to give some.
Trump showed his hand this morning. He revealed what he thinks about limits on his power. He told you he believes anyone who reminds others about the law deserves to die.
Believe him.
Why Every Elected Official Must Speak
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stood on the Senate floor and said, “the president of the United States is calling for the execution of elected officials.” He called it deadly serious. He said Trump makes political violence more likely every time he posts things like this.
House Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries, Katherine Clark, and Pete Aguilar released a joint statement condemning the “disgusting and dangerous death threats against Members of Congress.” They demanded Trump delete the posts. They said they contacted the House Sergeant at Arms and Capitol Police to ensure the safety of the targeted members and their families.
But where are the Republicans? Where is House Speaker Mike Johnson, who initially called the lawmakers’ video “wildly inappropriate” and said “we have got to raise the bar in Congress”? Where are the senators who claim to care about law and order? Where are the representatives who say they support the troops?
Their silence is complicity. Their refusal to condemn this behavior makes them accessories. Every single elected official who does not denounce Trump’s call for death has blood on their hands if any violence results.
This is not about politics. This is not about party loyalty. This is about whether we live in a country where presidents can order the execution of political opponents. This is about whether we accept leaders threatening to kill people for speech.
If your senator stays quiet, call them. If your representative hides, demand answers. If anyone you voted for refuses to condemn these threats, make them pay at the ballot box. This is the floor. This is the bare minimum. If they will not defend the lives of six veterans from presidential death threats, they will not defend anything.
The Pattern Grows Darker
This is not an isolated incident. This is part of a pattern that keeps getting worse. Trump has spent years normalizing violence against his opponents. He praises dictators who murder dissidents. He celebrates his January 6 rioters. He calls political opponents “vermin” and “enemies within.” He suggests deploying the military against American citizens who disagree with him.
Each escalation tests the boundaries. Each threat sees how much Americans will tolerate. Each attack pushes further toward authoritarianism.
Today he called for the death of six lawmakers. Tomorrow he will demand something else. The escalation never stops unless people stop it. The threats never end unless people say enough.
Trump is not joking. He is not exaggerating. He means every word. He has already shown he will pardon violence against democracy. He has already demonstrated he will reward attacks on the constitutional order. He has already proven he believes he is above the law.
The six targeted lawmakers issued a statement saying, “what’s most telling is that the President considers it punishable by death for us to restate the law.” They are right. Trump’s reaction reveals his intentions.
Senator Slotkin posted a video response. She said she hopes people of all backgrounds would agree that threatening death for people you disagree with is beyond the pale of who we are as Americans. She said she refuses to be intimidated out of defending the country she loves.
That is the spirit every American needs right now. That refusal to bow. That commitment to stand up even when threatened. That dedication to the country and the Constitution over fear and intimidation.
Why This Must Never Be Forgotten
Americans forget too quickly. Trump does something outrageous, the news cycle moves on, people get distracted by the next crisis. This cannot happen here. This moment must stay in the national memory.
Donald Trump called for the execution of six members of Congress for reminding military members about their legal rights. Write it down. Remember it. Tell your children and grandchildren. Make sure history records this day.
When future generations ask how American democracy fell apart, if we let it fall apart, this will be one of the moments they point to. This will be when the president openly embraced the language of dictatorship. This will be when he demanded death for political opponents. This will be when the guardrails failed if Americans let them fail.
Do not let anyone minimize this. Do not let anyone say Trump was joking. Do not let anyone claim he did not mean what he wrote. Do not let time erase the severity of what happened today.
A president threatened to kill lawmakers for political speech. A commander in chief called for the death penalty for people who reminded the military about following the Constitution. An elected leader demanded executions for patriots who actually served their country.
That is not normal. That will never be normal. That cannot become acceptable.
Document everything. Screenshot the posts. Save the news articles. Keep the records. When people try to rewrite history, when they claim Trump was not that bad, when they say people overreacted, pull out the evidence. Show them the words. Make them confront what actually happened.
What You Must Do Right Now
Contact your senators and representatives today. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Today. Demand they publicly condemn Trump’s threats. Demand they defend the six targeted lawmakers. Demand they state clearly that calling for the death of elected officials is unacceptable.
If your representatives are Republicans, tell them this transcends party. Tell them some things are bigger than politics. Tell them this is about whether America remains a democracy or slides into dictatorship. Tell them their legacy depends on what they do right now.
If your representatives are Democrats, tell them to keep fighting. Tell them not to normalize this. Tell them to use every tool available to hold Trump accountable. Tell them their constituents support them.
Share this information with everyone you know. Talk about it at dinner tables. Discuss it with coworkers. Bring it up at gatherings. Make sure people understand what happened. Make sure people care.
Support the six targeted lawmakers. Follow them on social media. Donate to their campaigns if you live in their states. Send messages of solidarity. Let them know Americans have their backs.
Protect democracy by staying engaged. Pay attention. Vote in every election. Hold leaders accountable. Speak up when you see injustice. Refuse to let authoritarianism creep in through your silence.
This is your country. These are your rights. This is your democracy. Trump wants you to feel powerless. He wants you to give up. He wants you to accept that presidents can threaten whoever they want without consequences.
Prove him wrong. Fight back with your voice, your vote, and your refusal to forget. Make sure November 20, 2025 lives in American memory as the day a president crossed the line and the American people said no more.
The six lawmakers Trump threatened closed their statement by saying, “Every American must unite and condemn the President’s calls for our murder and political violence. This is a time for moral clarity.”
They are absolutely right. This is a time for moral clarity. This is a time to choose sides. This is a time to decide what kind of country you want to live in.
Choose democracy. Choose the Constitution. Choose to remember. Choose to fight.
Your children are watching. Your grandchildren will ask what you did. History will record whether Americans stood up or stood by while a president called for killing elected officials.
Make sure you can look them in the eye and say you fought for what was right. Make sure you can tell them you refused to forget. Make sure you can say you helped save democracy when it needed you most.
Today is that day. Right now is that moment. This is your test.
Don’t fail it.
Mitch Jackson, Esq.
In the USA, it is against the law to utter death threats. Death threats are generally categorized under criminal threats or coercion statutes as serious criminal offenses. The law criminalizes threatening to cause death or serious bodily harm, whether or not the threat is intended to be carried out. These threats can be communicated verbally, in writing, electronically, or through gestures.
Potential repercussions for making death threats in the USA may include:
• Criminal charges that range from misdemeanors to felonies depending on the threat severity, presence of weapons, and other factors.
• Penalties including fines, probation, and imprisonment. Misdemeanor threats may result in jail time up to one year, while felony threats can lead to multi-year prison sentences.
• Federal charges if the threat is conveyed through interstate commerce (such as email, phone calls, or online messages), with possible sentences up to 5 years or more.
• Enhanced penalties if the threat causes significant public inconvenience, emergency responses, or bodily harm.
• Long-term consequences of felony convictions including loss of certain civil rights, restrictions on firearm possession, and challenges in employment.
The law requires that the victim reasonably fears the threat is real and imminent for it to be prosecutable. First Amendment protections for free speech do not cover true death threats that incite violence or cause immediate fear.
In summary, uttering death threats is illegal in the USA and can lead to serious criminal and federal penalties, including jail time, fines, and lasting legal consequences.
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