At the same time, on his Truth Social network, he shared a post by another user who responded to the president’s statement with the words “hell, George Washington (the founder of the United States and its first president) would do it!”.
The uproar came amid criticism of Trump over strikes by the US military on vessels suspected of drug smuggling in the southern Caribbean and Pacific and fears of a direct attack on Venezuela. The debate was also sparked by the president’s recent decision to send the National Guard to several cities to suppress protests and illegal activities.
Six Democratic lawmakers – two members of the Senate and four members of the House of Representatives – published a joint video on the Internet, in which they appealed to members of the US military to ignore unconstitutional orders.
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.
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. pic.twitter.com/CqUXxaKrLk
— Captain Mark Kelly (@CaptMarkKelly) November 21, 2025
“We stand behind our soldiers, who often find themselves in very difficult situations. They were put in them by Donald Trump, who indicated that he would put them in even more difficult situations in the coming months and years. We are reminded of what the military judicial code says, what the constitution says and what the law of war says,” said Rep. Jason Crow.
According to him, Trump has made “a number of very disturbing comments and suggestions” that would violate US law and put the military “in a terrible situation”, added Crow, a former soldier. “I don’t want to wait for it to happen, because then it will be too late,” added the deputy.
“Our laws are clear: You can refuse illegal orders,” added Senator Mark Kelly, a former astronaut and Navy veteran. But according to Reuters, the lawmakers did not give any specific scenario or example of an order that the soldiers could consider illegal.
“I never expected it”
Kelly then sharply condemned the president’s comments. “Donald Trump called for my execution. I served 25 years in the US Navy, flew 39 combat missions, went into space four times. I would never have expected the president of the US to threaten to hang me for something,” Kelly responded.
Trump’s words were subsequently moderated by White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavittová. When she was asked at the press conference whether the president wanted to have members of Congress executed, she answered briefly “no”.
