Three House Democrats have asked the U.S. Capitol Police to investigate President Donald Trump’s online tirade Thursday in which he labeled six party members “traitors” for “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH.”
Reps. Jason Crow (Colo.), Chris Deluzio (Pa.) and Chrissy Houlahan (Pa.) filed formal complaints after Trump reposted or wrote four messages on Truth Social that, according to Crow’s office, “intimidate, threaten and endanger” lawmakers and staff. Copies of the referrals were obtained by Axios and The Washington Post.
The posts targeted Crow, Deluzio, Houlahan, Rep. Maggie Goodlander (N.H.) and Sens. Elissa Slotkin (Mich.) and Mark Kelly (Ariz.) — all military or intelligence veterans — after they released a video urging service members to “refuse illegal orders” and to “stand up for our Constitution.”
Trump responded by writing that the group should be “ARRESTED and PUT ON TRIAL,” then escalated: “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???” and finally, “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” He also shared a follower’s comment: “HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD!!”
Crow’s office told police the messages triggered “a significant uptick in violent calls and emails,” while Slotkin said her office has received “close to a thousand” threats and has been assigned 24-hour security. Houlahan told The Daily Blast podcast the language “puts my safety at risk.”
Appearing on Fox News Radio Friday, Trump said he was “not threatening death,” but added, “in the old days, it was death.”