LETTER: Donald Trump’s histrionics

Recently, six members of Congress — all either military retirees, veterans or former intelligence officials — posted a video online to remind members of the military and national security community that they swore an oath to protect and defend the U.S. Constitution. They re-stated that only lawful orders — those not in violation of the Constitution or U.S. law — are required to be followed. The Uniform Code of Military Justice supports that hallowed duty for the protection of service members and innocents.

On cue, President Donald Trump histrionically posted on Truth Social, “It’s called SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL” and “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”

Federal law defines seditious conspiracy as when people conspire to “overthrow,” “put down,” “destroy by force,” “levy war against” or “oppose by force” the U.S. government. Seditious speech, thereby, would have to be intended to produce imminent lawlessness.

I advocate that the president’s words on Jan. 6, 2021 were closer to seditious speech than these politicians when he exhorted the mob to “stop the steal,” unleashing a flurry of violence disrupting the peaceful transfer of power. Some rioters were convicted of seditious conspiracy and sentenced to prison until Mr. Trump pardoned them.

Are retired military and government personnel who criticize this administration now considered “seditionists”? If so, despotism is close at hand.