President Donald Trump accused several Democratic members of Congress, including U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, of sedition after they released a video telling service members they can refuse unlawful orders.
The lawmakers, who previously served in the military or intelligence community, told U.S. troops and members of the intelligence community in the video: “We know you are under enormous pressure right now.”
“Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders,” Kelly said in the video.
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The Democrats’ actions amounted to “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL,” Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social. In another post, he said: “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!!”
It’s an accusation that the president has regularly leveled at his political opponents, from former President Barack Obama to former President Joe Biden.
Trump’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt backpedaled on his remarks, telling reporters that the president, who the day before reposted a comment calling to “HANG” the Democrats, doesn’t believe the lawmakers should be killed.
The video could spark chaos within the military chain of command and lead to deaths, Leavitt said.
What is sedition? What is seditious conspiracy?
Sedition is language used to incite insurrection against a government.
Federal statutes define seditious conspiracy as when two or more people in the U.S. “conspire to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof,” according to Cornell University’s Legal Information Institute.
There are even stricter standards for members of the military, who can be charged for intending to undermine a civil authority, or for failing to do their best to “suppress” such an action, according to the think tank CSIS.
What’s the difference between sedition, treason and insurrection?
Treason means waging war on the United States or giving “aid and comfort” to the country’s enemies.
The term “sedition” refers to the act of plotting and inciting an uprising. “Insurrection” generally is understood to mean the actual violent acts of the uprising.
What is the punishment for treason?
Treason is one of the most serious federal crimes.
It’s the only crime defined in the U.S. Constitution. The punishment is death, or imprisonment for no less than five years, and a fine of at least $10,000, according to Cornell University.
What did Trump accuse the Democrats of doing?
Trump accused the Democrats of “seditious” behavior.
Trump adviser Stephen Miller told Fox News the group was encouraging “insurrection” and should “resign in disgrace.”
Other Republicans have echoed the sentiment.
Rep. Abe Hamadeh, R-Arizona, wrote on social media that the video was “disgusting” and “seditious” and it violated the oath service members take to the country.
“Maybe they forgot that oath,” Hamadeh wrote.
How did Mark Kelly respond to Trump’s comments?
Kelly responded in a series of social media posts.
“I’ve had a missile blow up next to my airplane, been shot at dozens of times by anti-aircraft fire, and launched into orbit — all for my country. I never thought I’d see a President call for my execution,” he said in a Nov. 20 message posted to the platform X.com. “Trump doesn’t understand the Constitution, and we’re all less safe for it.”
In a Nov. 21 post, Kelly signaled he would stand firm despite the prospect of political violence against him. He cited the 2011 assassination attempt on his wife, then-Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Arizona, who was shot in the head.
“A gunman tried to silence my wife in an extreme act of political violence. Now, Trump has called for my execution because he didn’t like what I had to say,” he wrote.
“Gabby and I know, when others try to silence you, you must keep speaking out — and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What is sedition? What to know after Trump attacks Sen. Mark Kelly
