Letters from an American November 20, 2025
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Nov 22, 2025 Tensions rise as a former president labels veteran Democratic lawmakers as traitors, sparking a heated discussion. A military video emerges, urging service members to uphold the Constitution against illegal orders. Legal analysts weigh in on the fine line between sedition and duty, while historical context reveals presidential limits from figures like George Washington. The White House attempts damage control amid rising GOP fractures, with some members pushing back on Trump's controversial rhetoric and actions.
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Veteran Lawmakers' Constitutional Reminder
- Heather Cox Richardson recounts a video by six veteran lawmakers urging service members to refuse illegal orders.
- The video ends with the line, "Don't give up the ship," invoking Captain James Lawrence from 1813.
Presidential Calls Escalate To Threats
- President Trump publicly called the six lawmakers traitors and demanded they be arrested and tried, escalating rhetoric dramatically.
- His posts included language like "seditious behavior" and even "punishable by death," signaling extreme political danger.
Differentiate Unlawful Orders From Sedition
- Restating the law is not sedition; legal analysts emphasize the difference between disobeying lawful versus unlawful orders.
- The proper duty is to refuse unlawful orders, and legal categories like insubordination differ from sedition.