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Democratic officials voiced anger after the ex-president alleged a coalition of Democratic congress members of being "traitors" and declared they should be detained and sentenced "through capital punishment" following their release of a controversial video.

The Recording That Triggered the Dispute

The recorded message, published on earlier this week, features six Democratic elected officials who formerly worked in military or security capacities.

"Similar to us, you all swore an pledge to defend and defend this founding document," the lawmakers stated in the short video. "At present, the threats to our governing document don't only come from overseas, but from within our own country. Our laws are explicit, you can decline improper directives, you can decline illegal orders, you must refuse improper directives. No one has to follow commands that violate the statutes or our constitution."

Donald Trump's Angry Reply

The recorded statement reportedly trigger a furious reply from the former president.

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

In a separate message, he declared: "This constitutes really serious, and Harmful to our Nation. Their comments cannot be enabled to persist. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???"

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

Party Officials Respond

Following Trump's remarks on Thursday, Democratic leadership published a combined declaration censuring the statements.

"Violent politics has no position in America," they wrote. "Representatives who were featured in the video all worked our nation with tremendous patriotism and honor. We unequivocally denounce Donald Trump's appalling and harmful calls for execution against members of Congress, and urge Republican lawmakers to strongly do the same."

The opposition officials also said that they had been in touch with security officials "to ensure the safety of these members and their loved ones."

"Donald Trump must immediately take down these radical social media posts and withdraw his violent language before he leads to violence," the declaration stated.

Lawmakers' Strong Response

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

"We are former service members and security experts who love this United States and took an pledge to defend and support the constitution of the United States," they declared. "Our pledge continues forever, and we intend to keep it. No threat, intimidation, or incitement will prevent us from that sacred responsibility."

"The significant point is that the president deems it liable to punishment by capital punishment for us to repeat the law," they continued. "Armed forces members should recognize that we have their protection as they carry out their oath to the founding principles and responsibility to obey only legal commands. It is not only the correct thing to do, but also our obligation."

They continued: "The entire nation must unite and censure the ex-president's requests for our death and ideological conflict. This is a time for ethical certainty."

Additional Partisan Responses

The Democratic Senate minority leader also condemned Trump's comments and published on online networks: "It's important to understand: the President of the United States is calling for the execution of government members."

He added: "This represents an outright THREAT. Every Senator, all representatives, the entire nation – regardless of party – should condemn this right away and unconditionally."

The Republican House speaker justified Trump's assertion that the Democrats had been involved in "sedition", labeling the video as "wildly inappropriate", stating: "It is very dangerous, you have prominent officials of Congress telling troops to disobey orders, I think that's unprecedented in the nation's past."

The GOP official also reportedly informed the press that in what he reviewed of Trump's messages, Trump was "describing the offense of sedition" but that "attorneys have to examine the language and decide all that."

White House Reaction

During a administration briefing on later that day, when asked by a media member, "Is the president want to kill elected officials?", the administration spokesperson responded: "Absolutely not."

"It's important to note about what the former president is responding to," the spokesperson said. "There are sitting members of the federal government who conspired to arrange a digital communication to individuals of the American armed forces, to active duty service members advising them to ignore the executive's lawful orders."

She stated: "The sanctity of our defense system rests on the chain of command, and if that structure is compromised, it can cause fatalities, it can lead to confusion, and that is exactly what these congressional representatives ... are fundamentally supporting."