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Democratic officials expressed outrage after Donald Trump charged a group of Democratic legislators of being "turncoats" and stated they should be arrested and penalized "through capital punishment" following their publication of a contentious video.

The Content That Sparked the Controversy

The recorded message, shared on earlier this week, features six Democratic elected officials who previously worked in defense or security capacities.

"As we did, you all took an vow to defend and uphold this founding document," the representatives affirmed in the brief video. "Currently, the threats to our constitution aren't just from overseas, but from domestically. Our laws are clear, you can refuse improper directives, you can reject improper directives, you have to refuse unlawful commands. No one has to follow directives that violate the law or our constitution."

Trump's Angry Reply

The video message appeared to trigger a heated reaction from the previous commander-in-chief.

On later in the week, Trump posted on his social media platform: "It's called SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. Each one of these traitors to our Nation should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL."

In a separate publication, he stated: "This constitutes really serious, and Dangerous to our United States. Their statements cannot be permitted to persist. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???"

In a additional publication, he added: "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!" He also reposted a declaration that said: "HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!"

Party Officials Answer

Following Trump's statements on Thursday, Top Democrats published a unified statement censuring the comments.

"Partisan aggression has no place in this nation," they stated. "Representatives who appeared in the video all worked our United States with tremendous loyalty and honor. We clearly denounce Donald Trump's offensive and risky death threats against elected officials, and call on Republican lawmakers to forcefully do the same."

The party representatives also mentioned that they had been in touch with security officials "to guarantee the security of these members and their families."

"Donald Trump must right away delete these unhinged social media posts and recant his violent language before he leads to violence," the statement stated.

Representatives' Strong Response

The lawmakers who participated in the video also released a response.

"We serve as veterans and defense specialists who love this United States and swore an oath to protect and defend the founding document of the United States," they said. "Our pledge continues forever, and we aim to keep it. No warning, pressure, or call for violence will prevent us from that fundamental obligation."

"The significant point is that the president considers it subject to penalty by execution for us to reiterate the law," they added. "Armed forces members should recognize that we have their protection as they execute their pledge to the founding principles and duty to adhere to only proper directives. It is not only the proper thing to do, but also our obligation."

They added: "All citizens must unite and condemn the ex-president's calls for our death and political violence. This is a time for principled stance."

More Governmental Comments

The Senate Democratic leader also denounced Trump's comments and posted on social media: "We must be absolutely clear: the President of the United States is requesting the execution of elected officials."

He added: "This represents an outright THREAT. Every Senator, each house member, the entire nation – regardless of party – should censure this without delay and without qualification."

The GOP leader defended Trump's claim that the Democrats had participated in "treason", describing the video as "wildly inappropriate", adding: "It is very dangerous, you have important representatives of the government instructing soldiers to ignore directives, I think that's historic in the nation's past."

The GOP official also allegedly told the press that in what he read of Trump's publications, Trump was "defining the crime of rebellion" but that "legal experts have to parse the terminology and establish all that."

Executive Branch Statement

During a White House press conference on that day, when inquired by a media member, "Is the president want to kill congressional representatives?", the White House press secretary replied: "Absolutely not."

"Let's be clear about what the former president is reacting to," the representative stated. "You have current representatives of the American legislature who coordinated to arrange a video message to individuals of the US military, to serving soldiers urging them to ignore the executive's legal commands."

She said: "The integrity of our defense system depends on the command structure, and if that system is violated, it can cause casualties, it can result in disorder, and that's what these congressional representatives ... are basically promoting."