Topline
President Donald Trump on Friday said he was “not threatening death” against Democratic lawmakers, following a maelstrom of controversy after he accused them of behavior that was “punishable by death” for a video they made telling military members to refuse illegal orders.
Trump made the comments during a radio show appearance on Fox News. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
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Key Facts
When asked by Fox News radio host Brian Kilmeade what Trump meant when he accused the Democrats of “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” the president said, “In the old days, if you said a thing like that, that was punishable by death.”
“I would say they’re in serious trouble,” Trump added. “I’m not threatening death, but I think they’re in serious trouble.”
Trump accused the group of Democrats of breaking the law and told Kilmeade he is not worried about military members refusing orders “because I’m a leader and they do as I say.”
Trump’s latest comments come not long after House Democratic leaders demanded he delete his posts saying the Democrats behavior was “punishable by death,” though the posts still remain up as of Friday afternoon.
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Tangent
Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., a former Army officer, requested the U.S. Capitol Police to investigate Trump for his social media posts, according to Axios, which cited an email from Crow’s office that claimed the congressman was receiving an “uptick in calls and emails with violent rhetoric and additional threats.”