On November 21, political tensions in the US escalated after President Donald Trump made harsh comments targeting members of the Democratic Party, regarding the issue of military loyalty.
The case originated from a video in which Democratic lawmakers called on US soldiers to comply with the Constitution and refuse to carry out illegal orders. According to the US unified Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), soldiers can be prosecuted if they intentionally fail to comply with a superior order (Article 90) or do not comply with an order (Article 92) unless that order is proven illegal.
Responding to the video, Trump re-shared a social media post on October 20, calling the Democrats' message bad and dangerous for the country. In the posts, the US President used strong words, stating that this behavior could be " punished with death".
When asked about these posts, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that it was the Democratic message that deserved to be punished by law. She stressed that challenging or violating leadership orders is extremely dangerous and lawmakers must take responsibility for their actions.
On the Democratic side, Senate majority leader Chu Chu Schumer has warned that the President's statements could significantly increase domestic political tensions.
In contrast, Trump's allies, such as House Speaker Mike Johnson, have defended the president. Mr. Johnson said that Mr. Trump is not calling for violence but is only "defining a crime", calling the Democratic video completely inappropriate. Defense Minister Pete Hegseth also criticized the video on social media X.
