President Donald Trump on Thursday attacked six Democratic members of Congress, including two from Pennsylvania, calling them “traitors” and accusing them of sedition that’s “punishable by death” after they urged members of the military and intelligence community to “refuse illegal orders.”
The two Pennsylvania members, U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D., Chester), an Air Force veteran, and U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio (D., Allegheny), who served in the Navy, both took part in a video released on Tuesday with four other members of Congress urging members of the military and intelligence community to “refuse illegal orders.”
Finishing each others’ sentences, the Democratic veterans said Trump’s administration is “pitting” service members and intelligence professionals against American citizens and urged them not to “give up the ship.”
“Right now, the threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad,” Deluzio says in the video.
“But from right here at home,” added U.S. Rep. Jason Crow (D., Colo.) a former paratrooper and army ranger.
The video was shared by Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D., Mich.), a former CIA officer, and also included Sen. Mark Kelly (D., Ariz.), a former Navy captain and Maggie Goodlander (D., N.H.) a former intelligence officer.
Trump shared a Washington Examiner article on Thursday morning with the headline “Dem Veterans in Congress urge service members to refuse unspecified unlawful orders” saying their message “is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country.”
“Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???” “ the president wrote.
About an hour later, Trump added in another post: “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”
Deluzio served six years in the Navy including three deployments. He co-founded the Democratic Veterans Caucus in June, which was formed in opposition to the Trump administration.
Houlahan served three years on active duty as an Air Force engineer and an additional 13 years as a reserve, and reached the rank of captain. Houlahan has been outspoken against the Trump administration on military issues, particularly surrounding women serving in combat roles.
Houlahan, Deluzio, and the other lawmakers responded to Trump in a joint statement Thursday afternoon, saying that “No threat, intimidation, or call for violence” would deter them from their “sacred obligation” to uphold the Constitution.
“What’s most telling is that the President considers it punishable by death for us to restate the law,” the statement said. “Our servicemembers should know that we have their backs as they fulfill their oath to the Constitution and obligation to follow only lawful orders. It is not only the right thing to do, but also our duty.”
Deluzio and Houlahan are both members of the House Armed Services Committee.
Sen. John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat who has made a name for himself working across the aisle, said in a post on X that threatening members of Congress is “deeply wrong” without exception, regardless of political party.
“I strongly reject this dangerous rhetoric,” he said.
Gov. Josh Shapiro also quickly denounced Trump for calling for violence against Houlahan and Deluzio, who he called “two outstanding members of Congress from Pennsylvania who have fought for our country” in a post on X.
The Democratic governor said the president is “ratcheting up the real risk of danger to our elected leaders and deepening the divides in our country.” He said Trump’s allies who quickly condemn this language when it’s aimed at members of their party are now staying silent.
“There should be no place for this violent rhetoric from our political leaders, and it shouldn’t be hard to say that,” Shapiro said.