1. United States
2. Kan.
3. Letter

I’m writing to demand you hold President Trump accountable for calling for the arrest, trial, and execution of six Democratic lawmakers who reminded military and intelligence personnel of their legal obligation to refuse unlawful orders. Trump posted on Truth Social that Senators Elissa Slotkin and Mark Kelly, along with Representatives Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Chrissy Houlahan, and Maggie Goodlander should be arrested for “seditious behavior” and amplified posts calling for them to be hanged. These are military veterans with national security backgrounds who stated a basic legal fact: service members must refuse illegal orders under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Trump’s response wasn’t just wrong. It was a threat designed to terrorize elected officials into silence and inspire his supporters to violence. Research on stochastic terrorism shows exactly how this works. When influential figures repeatedly demonize targets as traitors and existential threats, they create conditions where violence becomes statistically probable even without explicit orders. ABC News documented 54 criminal acts between 2015 and 2020 where Trump or his rhetoric was explicitly invoked by perpetrators. Threats against members of Congress more than doubled during his presidency according to Capitol Police. The January 6 attack followed months of Trump falsely claiming the election was stolen and framing his opponents as enemies destroying the country. His amplification of execution demands follows the same pattern: dehumanize the target, frame them as existential threats, suggest violence is justified, then deny responsibility when someone acts. Forensic psychologists describe this as creating a climate where violence becomes not just possible but likely, with reactions afterward reinforcing future acts. Democratic leadership has contacted Capitol Police to ensure these lawmakers’ safety. House Speaker Mike Johnson defended Trump’s rhetoric instead of condemning death threats against colleagues. This is unacceptable. I’m calling on you to publicly condemn Trump’s calls for violence against these six lawmakers, demand he delete his posts immediately, and introduce a resolution censuring him for threatening elected officials with execution. If you refuse to act, you are complicit in whatever violence follows. Trump has proven he will use his platform to inspire violence when people challenge him. Congress must draw a line before someone gets killed.