WASHINGTON D.C. – Former US President Donald Trump sparked a political firestorm last week by accusing six Democratic lawmakers of sedition and suggesting their actions were “punishable by DEATH!”. The remarks, made on his Truth Social platform on Thursday, November 20, 2025, have drawn sharp condemnation from Democrats and raised alarms about the state of political discourse and the potential for violence in the United States, a significant global partner for Kenya and East Africa.

The controversy began after the lawmakers, all with military or intelligence backgrounds, released a video on Tuesday, November 18, 2025. In the 90-second clip, they urged US service members and intelligence personnel to remember their oath to the Constitution and to “refuse illegal orders.” The participants were Senators Mark Kelly of Arizona and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, along with Representatives Jason Crow of Colorado, Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania.

Trump’s reaction was swift and severe. In a series of posts, he labeled the lawmakers “traitors” engaged in “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL.” He called for them to be arrested and tried, later adding the declaration, “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” Trump also reposted a supporter's message that read, “HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!”

Democrats Condemn Rhetoric, Republicans Largely Silent

The response from Democratic leadership was immediate. A joint statement from House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Whip Katherine Clark, and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar on Thursday, November 20, 2025, condemned what they called Trump's “disgusting and dangerous death threats.” They asserted that “political violence has no place in America” and confirmed they had contacted the House Sergeant at Arms and Capitol Police to ensure the lawmakers' safety. Jeffries later warned that Trump's rhetoric could get “someone killed.”

Speaking on CBS's “Face the Nation” on Sunday, November 23, 2025 (EAT), Senator Kelly, a 25-year Navy veteran, decried the relative silence from Republican lawmakers. “We've heard very little, basically crickets, from Republicans in the United States Congress about what the president has said about hanging members of Congress,” Kelly stated. He noted the contrast with previous Republican calls for civility following the fatal shooting of a conservative activist in September 2025. Kelly, whose wife, former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, survived an assassination attempt in 2011, emphasized the weight of Trump's words, stating they lead to “increased threats against us.”

While most Republicans remained silent, some offered muted responses. House Speaker Mike Johnson described the Democrats' video as “wildly inappropriate” but suggested Trump was merely “defining a crime.” Senator Lindsey Graham called Trump's reaction “over the top” but also labeled the Democrats' video as irresponsible. The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, stated on Thursday that the president does not want to execute members of Congress.

Implications for Political Stability and Global Partnerships

The incident occurs within a context of heightened political polarization and rising concerns about political violence in the US. Data shows that while politically motivated violence is rare compared to overall crime, incidents have increased, with a majority of fatal attacks in recent decades coming from right-wing extremists. The charged rhetoric from a major political figure like Trump is seen by many observers as dangerously inflammatory.

Under US federal law, seditious conspiracy involves conspiring to use force to overthrow the government or to prevent the execution of a US law, punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Legal experts note that simply advocating for the use of force is often protected as free speech, and a high bar must be met for a conviction. The US military's own code of justice requires service members to obey lawful orders but also makes it a crime to follow “patently illegal” ones.

For Kenya and the broader East African region, political instability in the United States has significant implications. The US is a crucial partner in security, trade, and development. The increasingly volatile and confrontational nature of its domestic politics can affect foreign policy consistency and partnership reliability. While this specific event has no direct link to Kenya, the erosion of democratic norms and the rise of violent rhetoric in a global power serves as a cautionary example of the dangers of extreme political division—a challenge Kenya itself has navigated, particularly around its election cycles. The episode underscores a turbulent political landscape in a nation whose stability is vital to the international order.