Governor Josh Shapiro of Abington Township and Representative Madeleine Dean of Glenside have each criticized President Donald Trump’s response to a video posted by lawmakers on Tuesday telling military and intelligence officers to “refuse illegal orders.”
“We know you are under enormous stress and pressure right now. Americans trust their military but that trust is at risk,” said the Democratic lawmakers, all of whom are military veterans and former intelligence officials.
The video continues:
This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens. Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend this Constitution. Right now, the threats coming to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad but from right here at home. Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution.
In a post, Trump accused the Democratic lawmakers of “seditious behavior” and called for them to “be arrested and put on trial” for behavior that could be “punishable by death.”
Trump’s post:
It’s called SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL. Their words cannot be allowed to stand — We won’t have a Country anymore!!! An example MUST BE SET.
This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country. Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???
Trump adviser Stephen Miller accused the video of “openly calling for insurrection.”
“Not only has the President failed in his responsibility to lead this country — he is actively encouraging political violence once again, ratcheting up the real risk of danger to our elected leaders and deepening the divides in our country,” Shapiro said in a statement. “The sycophants and enablers the President surrounds himself with are quick to condemn language like this when it suits their political purposes — but in moments like this, they remain silent. There should be no place for this violent rhetoric from our political leaders, and it shouldn’t be hard to say that.”
Dean voiced her thoughts below:
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