House Speaker Mike Johnson has sparked controversy by defending former President Donald Trump's social media posts that called for certain Democrats to face the death penalty, arguing they were merely legal discussions rather than incitement to violence.
Defending Violent Rhetoric as Legal Analysis
During a press conference on Thursday, Johnson showed no hesitation in supporting Trump's morning posts on Truth Social, including one that explicitly stated "HANG THEM" in reference to Democratic lawmakers. The Speaker insisted these messages were not calls for execution but rather the former president "defining the crime of sedition."
"What I read is he was defining the crime of sedition," Johnson told reporters gathered in Washington. "Obviously, attorneys have to parse the language and determine all that."
Context of Trump's Controversial Posts
Trump's social media outburst came in direct response to a video created by House and Senate Democrats with military service and national security backgrounds. The Democratic lawmakers had urged members of the military to refuse illegal orders should such circumstances arise.
In one of his Truth Social messages, Trump wrote: "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!" Another post, which was a "ReTruth" of an anonymous user's message, contained no legal terminology and simply declared: "HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!"
Political Fallout and Security Concerns
The exchange occurs amid heightened political tensions and security worries. Republicans have consistently blamed Democratic rhetoric, including their use of the term "fascist" to describe Trump and his supporters, for inciting political violence.
This includes reference to the assassination attempts against Trump last year. However, when questioned whether Trump's calls for Democrats to receive the death penalty constituted incitement, Johnson responded with a definitive "no."
Johnson instead criticized the Democratic lawmakers, stating: "That was a wildly appropriate thing for so-called leaders in Congress to do, to encourage young troops to disobey orders. I mean, think of what a threat that is to our national security and what it means to our institutions."
Notably, the Speaker did not distinguish between legal and illegal orders in his remarks, despite the established military obligation to refuse unlawful commands.
The situation developed just days after Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene reported receiving death threats, with police confirming a man threatened to kill her son following Trump repeatedly labeling her a traitor.
Democratic leaders have responded by contacting Capitol police to ensure member safety. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries issued a joint statement demanding: "Donald Trump must immediately delete these unhinged social media posts and recant his violent rhetoric before he gets someone killed."
