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Democratic officials voiced anger after former President Donald Trump charged a coalition of Democratic congress members of being "betrayers" and asserted they should be arrested and penalized "with execution" following their publication of a disputed video.

The Content That Sparked the Debate

The video footage, released on Tuesday, showcases six Democratic congress members who previously worked in defense or intelligence positions.

"Like us, you all made an pledge to safeguard and defend this national charter," the officials stated in the brief video. "At present, the risks to our governing document are not only from abroad, but from within our own country. Our regulations are explicit, you can reject improper directives, you can decline improper directives, you have to decline illegal orders. No one has to follow commands that break the legal system or our national charter."

Trump's Incensed Reaction

The recorded statement reportedly provoke a heated reaction from the previous commander-in-chief.

On Thursday morning, Trump posted on his preferred platform: "This represents SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. Each one of these betrayers to our Nation should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL."

In another message, he stated: "This constitutes really serious, and Harmful to our Nation. Their statements cannot be allowed to remain. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???"

In a third message, he stated: "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, liable by DEATH!" He also reposted a declaration that said: "HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!"

Opposition Officials React

Following Trump's statements on that day, Democratic leadership published a unified statement denouncing the statements.

"Violent politics has no position in the United States," they declared. "Congress members who were featured in the video all served our country with tremendous national pride and excellence. We clearly condemn Donald Trump's appalling and dangerous death threats against congressional representatives, and call on GOP representatives to vigorously do the same."

The Democratic leaders also stated that they had been in contact with security officials "to make certain the protection of these representatives and their relatives."

"Donald Trump must immediately take down these unhinged social media posts and recant his violent discourse before he gets someone killed," the announcement added.

Representatives' Defiant Response

The officials who participated in the video also released a response.

"We serve as veterans and defense specialists who care for this country and took an vow to defend and defend the founding document of the United States," they said. "That oath continues forever, and we plan to maintain it. No threat, intimidation, or call for violence will deter us from that sacred responsibility."

"The significant point is that the former president deems it subject to penalty by execution for us to repeat the legal requirements," they added. "Military personnel should know that we have their support as they carry out their oath to the national charter and responsibility to obey only lawful orders. It is not only the proper thing to do, but also our responsibility."

They added: "The entire nation must unite and condemn the president's calls for our death and political violence. This is a moment for moral clarity."

Additional Partisan Reactions

The Opposition leader also denounced Trump's statements and published on online networks: "We must be absolutely clear: the ex-commander in chief is calling for the capital punishment of public representatives."

He stated: "This is an clear THREAT. Every Senator, each house member, all citizens – irrespective of political affiliation – should censure this immediately and absolutely."

The GOP leader justified Trump's assertion that the Democrats had engaged in "rebellion", labeling the video as "wildly inappropriate", commenting: "It is very dangerous, you have leading members of the government telling military personnel to ignore directives, I think that represents unprecedented in American history."

The Conservative representative also according to sources told media outlets that in what he examined of Trump's messages, Trump was "defining the offense of treason" but that "legal experts have to parse the language and determine all that."

White House Reaction

During a White House press conference on that day, when questioned by a journalist, "Would the president want to kill members of Congress?", the administration spokesperson answered: "Certainly not."

"Let's be clear about what the former president is reacting to," the representative said. "There are active officials of the US Congress who conspired to arrange a video message to individuals of the US military, to current military personnel urging them to ignore the executive's lawful orders."

She said: "The purity of our armed forces rests on the hierarchy, and if that system is violated, it can result in fatalities, it can result in chaos, and precisely what these members of Congress ... are fundamentally encouraging."