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Democratic officials demonstrated outrage after the ex-president charged a coalition of Democratic legislators of being "turncoats" and stated they should be taken into custody and penalized "with execution" following their publication of a disputed video.

The Content That Triggered the Dispute

The recorded message, released on Tuesday, showcases six Democratic elected officials who in the past worked in military or security capacities.

"As we did, you all swore an vow to protect and support this national charter," the representatives affirmed in the brief video. "At present, the threats to our governing document don't only come from abroad, but from domestically. Our statutes are clear, you can reject unlawful commands, you can refuse improper directives, you have to refuse unlawful commands. No one has to follow directives that break the statutes or our constitution."

Trump's Furious Reaction

The clip appeared to prompt a angry response from the previous commander-in-chief.

On Thursday morning, Trump wrote on his social media platform: "This constitutes SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. Each one of these betrayers to our United States should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL."

In a separate publication, he declared: "This is really bad, and Harmful to our Nation. Their comments cannot be enabled to remain. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???"

In a subsequent publication, he added: "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!" He also shared a statement that said: "HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!"

Democratic Representatives React

Following Trump's statements on that day, House Democratic leader published a joint announcement censuring the statements.

"Violent politics has no role in the United States," they declared. "Congress members who appeared in the video all served our country with tremendous loyalty and honor. We clearly censure Donald Trump's disgusting and harmful death threats against congressional representatives, and appeal to Republican lawmakers to strongly do the same."

The party representatives also stated that they had been in communication with protective services "to guarantee the security of these representatives and their loved ones."

"Donald Trump must right away remove these radical online messages and withdraw his aggressive language before he causes harm," the declaration continued.

Lawmakers' Defiant Reaction

The officials who appeared in the video also published a declaration.

"We are veterans and defense specialists who value this country and swore an pledge to protect and uphold the constitution of the United States," they said. "This commitment lasts a lifetime, and we plan to honor it. No intimidation, coercion, or call for violence will deter us from that important responsibility."

"The significant point is that the president deems it subject to penalty by execution for us to restate the statutes," they stated. "Military personnel should know that we have their support as they execute their vow to the national charter and responsibility to follow only proper directives. It is not only the right thing to do, but also our obligation."

They continued: "The entire nation must join forces and condemn the ex-president's calls for our death and partisan aggression. This is a time for moral clarity."

Further Partisan Comments

The Senate Democratic leader also denounced Trump's statements and published on online networks: "It's important to understand: the former president is calling for the death of public representatives."

He continued: "This represents an outright THREAT. Every Senator, all representatives, the entire nation – regardless of party – should denounce this immediately and unconditionally."

The GOP leader justified Trump's assertion that the Democrats had participated in "sedition", characterizing the video as "extremely improper", commenting: "It is very risky, you have leading members of the legislature advising troops to ignore directives, I think that represents without precedent in US history."

The Republican leader also reportedly stated to media outlets that in what he reviewed of Trump's posts, Trump was "explaining the crime of sedition" but that "legal experts have to examine the terminology and determine all that."

Executive Branch Reaction

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

"We should understand about what the former president is addressing," the spokesperson stated. "There are active officials of the US Congress who conspired to orchestrate a digital communication to members of the American armed forces, to active duty service members urging them to defy the commander in chief's lawful orders."

She added: "The sanctity of our military depends on the chain of command, and if that system is compromised, it can lead to fatalities, it can lead to disorder, and that is exactly what these members of Congress ... are essentially encouraging."