{"id":20360,"date":"2025-11-25T03:59:16","date_gmt":"2025-11-25T03:59:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/trump-defends-punishable-by-death-comment-calls-democrats-military-video-seditious-behavior\/"},"modified":"2025-11-25T03:59:16","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T03:59:16","slug":"trump-defends-punishable-by-death-comment-calls-democrats-military-video-seditious-behavior","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/?p=20360","title":{"rendered":"Trump defends \u2018punishable by death\u2019 comment, calls Democrats\u2019 military video \u2018seditious behavior\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ellissa-slotkin-senate-democrats-trump-fox-news.jpg\" alt=\"Trump defends \u2018punishable by death\u2019 comment, calls Democrats\u2019 military video \u2018seditious behavior\u2019\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width:100%; height:auto;\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"speakable\">President\u00a0Donald Trump\u00a0is clarifying his controversial &#8220;punishable by death&#8221; comment, saying he wasn\u2019t threatening any lawmakers but emphasizing how serious he believes their actions were.<\/p>\n<p class=\"speakable\">On Thursday, Trump responded to six Democrats who appeared in a video urging military members to refuse &#8220;illegal&#8221; orders. The video, posted on Tuesday by Sen. Elissa Slotkin, has gained nearly 17 million views on X.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I\u2019m not threatening them, but I think they\u2019re in serious trouble,&#8221; Trump said Friday on Fox News Radio\u2019s\u00a0&#8220;Brian Kilmeade Show.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>On his platform Truth Social, Trump posted about the video several times. In one post, he wrote, &#8220;This is really bad, and dangerous to our country. Their words cannot be allowed to stand.\u00a0SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>In a follow-up post, he added, &#8220;SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The comments quickly drew criticism from Democrats, who accused Trump of threatening political rivals.<\/p>\n<p>But Trump pushed back Friday, saying his message referred to the historical punishment for sedition, not a call for it today.<\/p>\n<p>In the old days, if you said a thing like that, that was punishable by death,&#8221; Trump said, doubling down on his claim that the lawmakers &#8220;broke the law.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Trump also said he worries the video could confuse or influence some service members, suggesting troops might be encouraged to refuse orders. He noted that Secretary of War\u00a0Pete Hegseth\u00a0and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche are looking into the situation.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;They\u2019re looking into it militarily. I don\u2019t know for a fact, but I think\u00a0the military is looking into it, the military courts,&#8221; said Trump.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Elissa Slotkin is seen during votes at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 23.\u00a0(Tom Williams\/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p>Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer\u00a0slammed Trump\u2019s posts. He said on the Senate floor that the president was explicitly calling &#8220;for the execution of elected officials.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries also issued a statement, with his leadership team condemning the comments as &#8220;disgusting and dangerous.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" class=\"lazy-img\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.nj.com\/resizer\/v2\/HLTPCGQCX5H4NLVWYCF227NJPA.jpg?auth=4640935dd9e4193351dd6d529b738e9a7f165c3550652e3768134759747037bb&amp;width=1280&amp;smart=true&amp;quality=90\" height=\"240\" width=\"360\"\/><span class=\"article__mm-image-caption-text\">President Donald Trump speaks to reporters on Air Force One on his way to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (AP Photo\/Manuel Balce Ceneta)<\/p>\n<div class=\"in-article-ad\">\n<div class=\"adsconex-banner\" data-ad-placement=\"banner5\" id=\"ub-banner5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"U55F63ITZ5BIHODPFCLWFKUSNM\">President\u00a0Donald Trump is facing searing criticism on social media after referring to a White House correspondent as \u201cpiggy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\">In a moment that went viral online on Tuesday, Trump took a question about late disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein from a female reporter while aboard Air Force One en route to Palm Beach, Florida, on Friday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"7TBKQG7CZJFGTBLWYQ6MOICQLQ\">\u201cMr. President, what did Jeffrey Epstein mean in his emails when he said you \u2018knew about the girls?\u2019\u201d the reporter asked the president, referring to an\u00a0email released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee last week.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"ZSTV4A76YVDONOQ43QEU4QN4YM\">In the email, included in\u00a0three chains\u00a0sent between 2011 and 2019 following the committee\u2019s recent subpoena of Epstein\u2019s estate, the convicted sex offender\u00a0told associate Ghislaine Maxwell and journalist Michael Wolff that Trump \u201cknew about the girls.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"UKAQL4T375COFK2J6BBULVWBEQ\">\u201cI know nothing about that. They would\u2019ve announced that a long time ago,\u201d Trump responded,\u00a0questioning Epstein\u2019s alleged ties to former President Bill Clinton and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"UE4TR2K2NZB6JK5PLILRG7DUZM\">\u201cJeffrey Epstein and I had a very bad relationship for many years,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"POI3GAWJEZAGNFMFTMSHATC6V4\">When he began listening to another question, Trump snapped back at the reporter as she attempted to follow up: \u201cQuiet! Quiet, piggy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"ZSDY3S23NVGXJNAKT3DNPM4HPQ\">Disgusting and completely unacceptable,\u201d CNN anchor Jake Tapper\u00a0posted about the instance.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"DTXIY7TMDRAQLE3WLKDHJJKUG4\">Former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson\u00a0called Trump\u2019s quip \u201cdisgusting and degrading,\u201d writing, \u201cIt strikes at the core for me since I faced similar shame.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"KBWZ2OMPSNHM5ONETRCJTZCDPE\">Rick Wilson of The Lincoln Project\u00a0posted an image\u00a0of Trump, quoting the same insult. The press office account for California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) also took aim at the president, attaching a\u00a0fake image of his face.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"A76P3SIDN5AW5HUYOECRWLYQWA\">\u201cDonald Trump said \u2018quiet piggy\u2019 to a female reporter because she dared to ask about the Epstein files, and as bad as that is, the fact that none of her colleagues defended her, is even worse,\u201d JoJoFromJerz, a liberal commentator,\u00a0wrote in a post.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"X2SAASAFIJCFTGPCXBBN5VHMIE\">Jennifer Welch, co-host of the \u201cI\u2019ve Had It\u201d podcast,\u00a0said that Trump\u2019s remark is \u201cunbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"WFTL4A5LRBGSNDCSETXGSWL7QQ\">\u201cI think nobody takes misogyny seriously,\u201d Welch added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"LYOW2VSLQNBCXNYPXQHJZDYEME\">A White House official defended Trump\u2019s comment in\u00a0a statement to MS NOW, formerly MSNBC: \u201cThis reporter behaved in an inappropriate and unprofessional way towards her colleagues on the plane. If you\u2019re going to give it, you have to be able to take.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"Q6FHXQV2GFDYPLSVGXFWDTQJD4\">During a\u00a0press conference\u00a0with Saudi Crown Prince\u00a0Mohammed bin Salman\u00a0in the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump lashed out at another reporter when asked why he is waiting on Congress to\u00a0release the Epstein files.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"FUROCKETZVHORH2SPS42MMHMUU\">\u201cYou know, it\u2019s not the question that I mind. It\u2019s your attitude,\u201d Trump said. \u201cI think you are a terrible reporter\u2026 You\u2019re a terrible person and a terrible reporter.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The confrontation began when former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi launched a sharp attack on President Trump\u2019s comprehensive federal law enforcement initiative in Washington D.C., which included seizing direct control of the Metropolitan Police Department and activating the D.C. National Guard for street patrols. Pelosi\u2019s criticism went beyond the immediate policy implications to draw direct parallels with Trump\u2019s actions during the January 6 Capitol riot.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDonald Trump delayed deploying the National Guard on January 6th when our Capitol was under violent attack and lives were at stake,\u201d Pelosi declared in a statement that immediately garnered national attention. \u201cNow, he\u2019s activating the D.C. Guard to distract from his incompetent mishandling of tariffs, health care, education and immigration \u2014 just to name a few blunders.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Pelosi\u2019s statement represented more than routine political opposition; it was a deliberate attempt to frame Trump\u2019s current law enforcement initiatives through the lens of his alleged failures during the Capitol riot. By invoking January 6, Pelosi sought to raise questions about Trump\u2019s commitment to law enforcement and public safety, positioning herself as a defender of institutional security against presidential overreach.<\/p>\n<p>The former Speaker\u2019s decision to make this comparison proved to be a significant tactical error, as it provided an opening for someone with intimate knowledge of the January 6 security preparations to challenge her narrative directly and publicly.<\/p>\n<p>Former U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund\u2019s response to Pelosi was swift, comprehensive, and devastating in its specificity. Sund, who resigned in the immediate aftermath of January 6, used his unique position as the person responsible for Capitol security to systematically dismantle Pelosi\u2019s characterization of events.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMa\u2019am, it is long past time to be honest with the American people,\u201d Sund began his statement, immediately establishing a tone of moral authority and calling into question Pelosi\u2019s truthfulness. This opening salvo suggested that Sund viewed Pelosi\u2019s comments not as mere political rhetoric, but as a fundamental misrepresentation of historical facts.<\/p>\n<p>Sund\u2019s statement revealed previously undisclosed details about his efforts to secure National Guard support in the days leading up to January 6. According to his account, on January 3, 2021\u2014three full days before the riot\u2014he formally requested National Guard assistance through proper channels. This timeline detail is crucial because it directly contradicts narratives that suggest security officials were caught off-guard by the potential for violence on January 6.<\/p>\n<p>The former chief\u2019s revelation that his January 3 request was \u201cshot down by Pelosi\u2019s own Sergeant at Arms\u201d represents perhaps the most explosive element of his statement. This claim suggests that the security failures of January 6 were not the result of poor planning or inadequate intelligence, but rather of deliberate decisions by officials operating under Pelosi\u2019s authority to reject enhanced security measures.<\/p>\n<p>Sund\u2019s explanation of the legal framework governing National Guard deployment reveals the complex bureaucratic structure that may have contributed to the January 6 security failures. His citation of federal law (2 U.S.C. \u00a71970) provides specific legal grounding for his claim that he was \u201cprohibited from calling them in without specific approval.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This legal constraint is significant because it suggests that even if Sund had possessed perfect intelligence about the coming violence, he would have been powerless to act without authorization from congressional leadership. The law\u2019s requirement for specific approval creates a chain of accountability that leads directly to House and Senate leadership, including Pelosi in her capacity as Speaker.<\/p>\n<p>Sund\u2019s account of Pentagon involvement adds another layer of complexity to the pre-January 6 security preparations. His claim that \u201cCarol Corbin at the Pentagon offered National Guard support\u201d on January 3, but that he was \u201cforced to decline because I lacked the legal authority,\u201d suggests that federal military officials were prepared to provide assistance but were prevented from doing so by congressional restrictions.<\/p>\n<p>This revelation, if accurate, fundamentally alters the narrative about January 6 preparations by suggesting that adequate security resources were available and offered, but were rejected due to legal and administrative constraints imposed by congressional leadership.<\/p>\n<p>Sund\u2019s description of his efforts to obtain National Guard support during the actual riot provides perhaps the most damaging allegations against Pelosi\u2019s leadership. His claim that he \u201cbegged again for the Guard\u201d when violence erupted, only to be \u201cstalled for over an hour,\u201d paints a picture of bureaucratic dysfunction at the moment of greatest crisis.<\/p>\n<p>The specific detail that Pelosi\u2019s Sergeant at Arms \u201cdenied my urgent requests for over 70 agonizing minutes, \u2018running it up the chain\u2019 for your approval\u201d suggests a leadership structure that was either unprepared for crisis decision-making or deliberately slow-walking security requests for political reasons.<\/p>\n<p>Sund\u2019s use of the phrase \u201c70 agonizing minutes\u201d is particularly powerful because it humanizes the abstract concept of bureaucratic delay by connecting it directly to the real-time violence and chaos that was unfolding at the Capitol. Every minute of delay represented additional risk to the lives of Members of Congress, staff, and law enforcement officers.<\/p>\n<p>The former chief\u2019s characterization of repeated denials during active violence raises fundamental questions about the priorities and decision-making processes of congressional leadership during the crisis. If Sund\u2019s account is accurate, it suggests that even as the Capitol was under physical attack, administrative procedures took precedence over immediate security needs.<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps the most politically damaging element of Sund\u2019s statement is his direct accusation of hypocrisy against Pelosi regarding post-January 6 security measures. His observation that \u201cwhen it suited you, you ordered fencing topped with concertina wire and surrounded the Capitol with thousands of armed National Guard troops\u201d draws a sharp contrast between Pelosi\u2019s alleged reluctance to authorize security before January 6 and her enthusiasm for extensive security measures afterward.<\/p>\n<p>This accusation is particularly powerful because it addresses one of the most visible and controversial aspects of the post-January 6 period: the transformation of the Capitol complex into what critics described as a militarized zone. The presence of thousands of National Guard troops, razor wire fencing, and multiple security checkpoints became symbols of how dramatically January 6 had changed the relationship between the American people and their government.<\/p>\n<p>Sund\u2019s framing suggests that these dramatic security measures represented not genuine security improvements, but political theater designed to reinforce a particular narrative about January 6 and its aftermath. By characterizing the post-riot security as something that \u201csuited\u201d Pelosi politically, Sund implies that her security decisions were driven by political calculations rather than genuine security assessments.<\/p>\n<p>The Pelosi-Sund exchange occurred against the backdrop of Trump\u2019s comprehensive federal takeover of Washington D.C. law enforcement, which has produced measurable changes in both crime statistics and immigration enforcement activities. According to CNN\u2019s analysis of government data, the first week under federal control saw property crimes fall by approximately 19 percent and violent crime drop by 17 percent compared to the previous week.<\/p>\n<p>These statistics provide important context for understanding why Pelosi chose to attack Trump\u2019s D.C. initiative through the lens of January 6. The apparent early success of federal law enforcement coordination in reducing crime rates could potentially undermine Democratic arguments about Trump\u2019s fitness for office and his commitment to law and order.<\/p>\n<p>The federal operation has also dramatically increased immigration enforcement activities, with approximately 300 arrests of individuals without legal status since August 7\u2014more than ten times the typical weekly number. This enforcement surge aligns with broader Trump administration priorities and demonstrates the comprehensive nature of the federal takeover.<\/p>\n<p>Federal agencies have embedded personnel with local police units, creating integrated teams that assist in arrests, searches, and warrant executions while patrolling the city in unmarked vehicles. This level of federal-local integration represents a significant departure from traditional policing models and provides a template that could be applied to other jurisdictions.<\/p>\n<p>The Sund-Pelosi confrontation raises fundamental questions about the role of congressional leadership in Capitol security decisions and the accountability structures that govern such responsibilities. Under the current system, the Capitol Police operate under the authority of the Capitol Police Board, which includes the Sergeant at Arms of both the House and Senate.<\/p>\n<p>This structure creates a complex chain of command that can lead to delays and confusion during crisis situations, as Sund\u2019s account appears to demonstrate. The requirement for congressional leadership approval of National Guard deployment reflects the founders\u2019 concerns about military forces being used against civilian government, but may create vulnerabilities during genuine security emergencies.<\/p>\n<p>Sund\u2019s revelations suggest that this system may have contributed directly to the security failures of January 6 by creating bureaucratic obstacles to rapid response during a developing crisis. His account implies that even when security professionals identified threats and requested appropriate resources, political considerations may have prevented adequate responses.<\/p>\n<p>The public exchange between Sund and Pelosi has significant implications for ongoing political debates about January 6 and the broader questions of accountability for that day\u2019s events. Sund\u2019s detailed, specific allegations provide Republicans with powerful ammunition for their arguments that Democratic leadership bears significant responsibility for the security failures.<\/p>\n<p>If Sund\u2019s claims are substantiated, they could fundamentally alter public understanding of January 6 by shifting focus from Trump\u2019s actions and rhetoric to congressional leadership\u2019s security decisions. This shift could have profound implications for how Americans assign blame and accountability for the events of that day.<\/p>\n<p>The timing of this confrontation, occurring as Trump implements comprehensive law enforcement reforms in Washington D.C., also provides a stark contrast between current federal security measures and the alleged security deficiencies that preceded January 6. This comparison could strengthen Trump\u2019s political position by demonstrating decisive leadership in contrast to what Sund portrays as congressional indecision and obstruction.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>President\u00a0Donald Trump\u00a0is clarifying his controversial &#8220;punishable by death&#8221; comment, saying he wasn\u2019t threatening any lawmakers but emphasizing how serious he believes their actions were. On Thursday, Trump responded to six Democrats who&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20359,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20360","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-breaking-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20360","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=20360"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20360\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/20359"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=20360"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=20360"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=20360"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}