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Democratic officials demonstrated outrage after former President Donald Trump charged a contingent of Democratic congress members of being "traitors" and asserted they should be arrested and penalized "with execution" following their posting of a contentious video.

The Message That Sparked the Debate

The video footage, published on earlier this week, showcases six Democratic lawmakers who formerly served in armed forces or security positions.

"Like us, you all made an oath to defend and uphold this national charter," the lawmakers affirmed in the 90-second video. "Currently, the dangers to our governing document don't only come from foreign nations, but from right here at home. Our laws are clear, you can decline improper directives, you can decline improper directives, you should reject illegal orders. No one has to execute commands that contravene the legal system or our founding principles."

Donald Trump's Angry Reply

The recorded statement reportedly prompt a heated reaction from the former president.

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

In a separate message, he declared: "This represents really bad, and Dangerous to our Nation. Their words cannot be permitted to persist. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???"

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

Opposition Leaders React

Following Trump's remarks on that day, Democratic leadership released a combined announcement condemning the remarks.

"Political violence has no position in America," they declared. "Elected officials who were featured in the video all worked our United States with exceptional patriotism and excellence. We strongly denounce Donald Trump's offensive and dangerous threats of violence against members of Congress, and appeal to Republican lawmakers to forcefully do the same."

The Democratic leaders also said that they had been in touch with law enforcement "to ensure the security of these members and their relatives."

"Donald Trump must immediately remove these extreme online messages and retract his aggressive rhetoric before he causes harm," the declaration stated.

Officials' Defiant Answer

The officials who were featured in the video also issued a response.

"We serve as ex-military personnel and national security professionals who care for this country and swore an vow to protect and defend the founding document of the United States," they said. "Our pledge continues forever, and we plan to maintain it. No threat, intimidation, or incitement will deter us from that fundamental duty."

"What's most telling is that the ex-president deems it liable to punishment by capital punishment for us to reiterate the statutes," they continued. "Military personnel should recognize that we have their backs as they carry out their oath to the founding principles and responsibility to follow only legal commands. It is not only the correct thing to do, but also our responsibility."

They stated: "The entire nation must come together and condemn the former president's demands for our death and partisan aggression. This is a time for principled stance."

Additional Governmental Comments

The Democratic Senate minority leader also denounced Trump's comments and published on digital platforms: "We must be absolutely clear: the former president is demanding the death of elected officials."

He continued: "This is an outright THREAT. Each congressional member, each house member, every American – irrespective of political affiliation – should censure this immediately and unconditionally."

The Conservative official supported Trump's allegation that the Democrats had engaged in "rebellion", labeling the video as "wildly inappropriate", adding: "This represents very harmful, you have prominent officials of Congress instructing troops to ignore directives, I think that is unprecedented in American history."

The GOP official also allegedly told journalists that in what he examined of Trump's messages, Trump was "defining the violation of rebellion" but that "legal experts have to parse the wording and establish all that."

Executive Branch Response

During a executive branch meeting on that day, when asked by a journalist, "Would the president want to put to death congressional representatives?", the executive branch representative responded: "No."

"We should understand about what the ex-commander in chief is addressing," the official stated. "We see active officials of the federal government who coordinated to organize a video message to individuals of the US military, to current military personnel encouraging them to disobey the commander in chief's lawful orders."

She said: "The integrity of our military rests on the hierarchy, and if that structure is broken, it can cause casualties, it can result in confusion, and that's what these members of Congress ... are essentially supporting."