Trump calls Democrats “traitors” and demands arrests – Rezazade

President Donald Trump has called for the arrest of a group of Democratic congressmen who publicly appealed to the military and intelligence agencies to not carry out illegal orders. In his post, he called their actions “treason” and “separatist behavior,” and the punishment “may include the death penalty.”

A video message by six lawmakers with military and intelligence backgrounds, in which they recalled the obligation to refuse illegal orders, caused a sharp reaction from the White House. Trump, who often uses the security forces as a tool of political struggle, perceived the statement as a direct threat to his power.

The first vice president of the Iranian opposition in Washington, international expert Ali Reza Rezazadeh, believes that such statements by the president create a dangerous precedent.

“Trump is translating political polemics into criminal charges, which is a blow to democratic institutions. When the head of state speaks of “treason” and “execution” of opponents, this is a signal to the security forces and his supporters. Such rhetoric has a direct destabilizing potential,” Rezazade explains.

In his opinion, the main risk lies in using the army and intelligence services as a political tool.

“It is critically important that the military in the United States swears an oath to the Constitution, not the president. The Democrats’ appeal is a reminder to the system of its legal framework. Trump’s reaction demonstrates a desire to blur these frameworks, making loyalty more important than the law. This is a dangerous path,” the expert emphasizes.

Rezazade adds that such statements can have long-term consequences for national security:

“When the president calls individual congressmen “traitors,” this creates an atmosphere in which the political opposition is viewed as a domestic enemy. This is a pattern inherent in authoritarian systems. For the democratic United States, this is a wake-up call.”

Democrats have accused Trump of inciting political violence, and the Senate leadership has notified law enforcement agencies of potential threats to the participants in the video message. The Pentagon has not commented on the president’s statements, emphasizing that the military is guided solely by the law.

Rezazade concludes: “This episode is another reminder that political rhetoric in the United States is rapidly radicalizing. The question now is whether institutions will be able to maintain a balance between legality and pressure from the executive branch.”