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Democratic officials voiced anger after Donald Trump charged a contingent of Democratic congress members of being "traitors" and declared they should be taken into custody and penalized "with execution" following their publication of a controversial video.

The Message That Triggered the Dispute

The video footage, shared on earlier this week, includes six Democratic congress members who in the past served in defense or security capacities.

"Similar to us, you all swore an oath to defend and uphold this founding document," the representatives declared in the 90-second video. "Currently, the threats to our governing document are not only from foreign nations, but from within our own country. Our regulations are unambiguous, you can decline improper directives, you can decline improper directives, you should refuse unlawful commands. No one has to execute orders that break the law or our founding principles."

Donald Trump's Furious Response

The clip reportedly prompt a furious reply from the ex-president.

On later in the week, Trump published on Truth Social: "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 an additional post, he wrote: "This represents really serious, and Dangerous to our Nation. Their comments cannot be allowed to remain. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???"

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

Party Representatives React

Following Trump's statements on Thursday, Democratic leadership issued a joint declaration censuring the comments.

"Political violence has no position in this nation," they wrote. "Elected officials who appeared in the video all worked our country with tremendous national pride and excellence. We unequivocally denounce Donald Trump's appalling and harmful threats of violence against members of Congress, and appeal to House Republicans to strongly do the same."

The Democratic leaders also said that they had been in communication with law enforcement "to guarantee the protection of these officials and their families."

"Donald Trump must without delay take down these extreme online messages and retract his dangerous language before he causes harm," the statement stated.

Officials' Defiant Answer

The representatives who participated in the video also released a declaration.

"We serve as former service members and security experts who care for this nation and took an oath to safeguard and uphold the constitution of the United States," they declared. "Our pledge is permanent, and we plan to maintain it. No intimidation, pressure, or call for violence will prevent us from that fundamental duty."

"The most revealing aspect is that the president views it subject to penalty by capital punishment for us to reiterate the law," they continued. "Armed forces members should recognize that we have their support as they fulfill their oath to the national charter and obligation to obey only proper directives. It is not only the proper thing to do, but also our responsibility."

They continued: "The entire nation must join forces and censure the president's requests for our death and ideological conflict. This is a period for moral clarity."

More Political Reactions

The Opposition leader also denounced Trump's comments and published on online networks: "Let's be crystal clear: the former president is demanding the capital punishment of government members."

He stated: "This constitutes an clear THREAT. Each congressional member, every Representative, every American – regardless of party – should denounce this without delay and without qualification."

The GOP leader defended Trump's assertion that the Democrats had been involved in "treason", describing the video as "extremely improper", adding: "It is very dangerous, you have leading members of the government advising soldiers to defy commands, I think that's historic in the nation's past."

The GOP official also allegedly informed the press that in what he read of Trump's messages, Trump was "describing the violation of treason" but that "lawyers have to analyze the terminology and determine all that."

White House Response

During a executive branch meeting on Thursday afternoon, when inquired by a journalist, "Does the president want to kill elected officials?", the administration spokesperson replied: "No."

"Let's be clear about what the president is reacting to," the official stated. "There are sitting members of the federal government who conspired to arrange a digital communication to members of the American armed forces, to active duty service members encouraging them to defy the president's legal commands."

She said: "The integrity of our defense system relies on the command structure, and if that system is compromised, it can cause fatalities, it can result in disorder, and precisely what these elected officials ... are essentially encouraging."