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\u201cThis inference does not apply to a patently illegal order, such as one that directs the commission of a crime,\u201d the manual states. It continues elsewhere, \u201cThe lawfulness of an order is a question of law to be determined by the military judge.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
Asked about Trump encouraging political violence by calling for members of Congress to be killed, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt bizarrely accused the six Democrats of being the ones inciting violence.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cThey are literally saying to 1.3 million active-duty service members to defy the chain of command, not to follow lawful orders,\u201d she said in her Thursday press briefing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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When a reporter corrected Leavitt that Democrats were urging service members to defy illegal orders, not legal ones, the press secretary changed the subject, saying Trump hasn\u2019t given illegal orders. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cTo suggest and encourage that active duty service members defy the chain of command is a very dangerous thing for sitting members of Congress to do,\u201d Leavitt said, again conflating defying an illegal order versus a legal one.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n![\"\u201cSEDITIOUS](\"https:\/\/img.huffingtonpost.com\/asset\/691f36331700008cb7a90be2.jpeg?cache=qNYtR0o1oD&ops=scalefit_720_noupscale\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n\u201cSEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!\u201d Trump said of Democrats in Congress releasing a video urging U.S. military servicemembers to uphold their oath to the Constitution.<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n
On Capitol Hill, top Democrats condemned Trump\u2019s comments and urged everyone to take them seriously.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cLet\u2019s be crystal clear: the President of the United States is calling for the execution of elected officials. This is an outright threat, and it\u2019s deadly serious,\u201d Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in remarks on the Senate floor.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cEvery Senator, every Representative, every American\u2015regardless of party\u2015should condemn this immediately and without qualification,\u201d Schumer said. \u201cBecause if we don\u2019t draw a line here, then there is no line left to draw.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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House Democratic leaders issued a joint statement rejecting the president\u2019s \u201cdisgusting and dangerous death threats against Members of Congress,\u201d and called on House Republicans to do the same.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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They said they also contacted the House Sergeant at Arms and the US Capitol Police to ensure the safety of the six Democrats and their families.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cDonald Trump must immediately delete these unhinged social media posts and recant his violent rhetoric before he gets someone killed,\u201d reads a statement from House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Some Democrats scolded Trump not just for threatening lawmakers, but for suggesting that service members took at oath to him, not the Constitution.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cCalling for the execution of senators and members of Congress for reminding our troops of that is chilling behaviour we should expect from authoritarians like Orban or Putin, not the President of the United States,\u201d Coons said. \u201cEvery one of my Republican colleagues needs to stand up and swiftly condemn this.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
Democrat Senator Chris Murphy was less measured in his response.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe President of the United States just called for Democratic members of Congress to be executed. \u2018HANG THEM,\u2019 he posted,\u201d Murphy wrote on social media<\/a>. \u201cIf you\u2019re a person of influence in this country and you haven\u2019t picked a side, maybe now would be the time to pick a fucking side.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
\u201cEvery American must unite and condemn the President\u2019s calls for our murder and political violence.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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The six Democrats who made the video that set Trump off issued a joint statement, reminding that they, too, swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cThat oath lasts a lifetime, and we intend to keep it. No threat, intimidation, or call for violence will deter us from that sacred obligation,\u201d reads the statement from Senators Elissa Slotkin and Mark Kelly, and Representatives Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander, Chrissy Houlahan and Crow.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cWhat\u2019s most telling is that the President considers it punishable by death for us to restate the law. Our service members should know that we have their backs as they fulfil their oath to the Constitution and obligation to follow only lawful orders,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cEvery American must unite and condemn the President\u2019s calls for our murder and political violence,\u201d the lawmakers added. \u201cThis is a time for moral clarity. In these moments, fear is contagious, but so is courage. We will continue to lead and will not be intimidated. Don\u2019t Give Up the Ship!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
![\"President](\"https:\/\/img.huffingtonpost.com\/asset\/691f3ec6170000e5759c6447.png?ops=scalefit_720_noupscale&format=webp)
<\/picture><\/div>\n![\"\u201cSEDITIOUS](\"https:\/\/img.huffingtonpost.com\/asset\/691f36331700008cb7a90be2.jpeg?cache=qNYtR0o1oD&ops=scalefit_720_noupscale&format=webp)
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