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Democratic officials expressed anger after Donald Trump charged a group of Democratic representatives of being "turncoats" and asserted they should be taken into custody and sentenced "by death" following their release of a controversial video.

The Message That Triggered the Controversy

The clip, published on Tuesday, includes six Democratic congress members who previously acted in military or defense capacities.

"Like us, you all took an pledge to protect and defend this founding document," the lawmakers affirmed in the brief video. "At present, the dangers to our governing document don't only come from overseas, but from right here at home. Our statutes are clear, you can refuse illegal orders, you can refuse illegal orders, you have to refuse improper directives. No one has to follow orders that break the law or our founding principles."

Donald Trump's Incensed Response

The video message seemed to provoke a heated reaction from the former president.

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

In a separate post, he wrote: "This represents really bad, and Dangerous to our United States. Their statements cannot be enabled to persist. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???"

In a subsequent post, he stated: "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, liable by DEATH!" He also redistributed a declaration that read: "HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!"

Opposition Leaders React

Following Trump's statements on Thursday, House Democratic leader issued a unified declaration censuring the statements.

"Political violence has no role in this nation," they stated. "Elected officials who were featured in the video all served our country with tremendous patriotism and distinction. We clearly condemn Donald Trump's disgusting and harmful calls for execution against elected officials, and appeal to GOP representatives to strongly do the same."

The opposition officials also mentioned that they had been in contact with protective services "to make certain the safety of these representatives and their families."

"Donald Trump must immediately delete these extreme digital publications and recant his aggressive discourse before he causes harm," the announcement stated.

Lawmakers' Defiant Reaction

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

"We serve as former service members and security experts who love this nation and made an pledge to protect and uphold the founding document of the United States," they stated. "This commitment lasts a lifetime, and we intend to honor it. No threat, intimidation, or incitement will stop us from that fundamental duty."

"The significant point is that the president views it subject to penalty by capital punishment for us to repeat the law," they added. "Armed forces members should understand that we have their protection as they execute their vow to the constitution and obligation to obey only legal commands. It is not only the proper thing to do, but also our obligation."

They continued: "All citizens must join forces and denounce the president's requests for our execution and ideological conflict. This is a moment for ethical certainty."

More Political Responses

The Senate Democratic leader also condemned Trump's remarks and published on digital platforms: "We must be absolutely clear: the ex-commander in chief is calling for the capital punishment of elected officials."

He stated: "This constitutes an direct THREAT. All senators, each house member, every American – irrespective of political affiliation – should denounce this immediately and absolutely."

The Republican House speaker justified Trump's assertion that the Democrats had participated in "rebellion", labeling the video as "extremely improper", commenting: "This constitutes very dangerous, you have prominent officials of the legislature telling troops to defy commands, I think that is unprecedented in US history."

The Conservative representative also allegedly stated to the press that in what he read of Trump's posts, Trump was "describing the violation of rebellion" but that "attorneys have to analyze the wording and decide all that."

White House Reaction

During a White House press conference on Thursday afternoon, when asked by a journalist, "Is the president want to kill congressional representatives?", the executive branch representative replied: "No."

"Let's be clear about what the ex-commander in chief is responding to," the representative declared. "There are active officials of the American legislature who worked together to orchestrate a digital communication to members of the American armed forces, to current military personnel advising them to ignore the commander in chief's lawful orders."

She added: "The integrity of our defense system rests on the hierarchy, and if that chain of command is compromised, it can lead to fatalities, it can cause disorder, and that is exactly what these elected officials ... are fundamentally supporting."