By Ben Meiselas
On Thursday morning, Donald Trump woke up in full panic mode, and the country saw it in real time. We witnessed a violent, public unraveling from a sitting president who once again threatened to execute elected lawmakers for doing their jobs and upholding the Constitution.
In a string of unhinged posts, Trump labeled Democratic senators and representatives “traitors,” accusing them of “seditious behavior punishable by death.” He reposted extremist messages urging that they be hanged, including one declaring, “George Washington would hang them.” He insisted the lawmakers “should be arrested and put on trial” and warned, “We won’t have a country anymore” unless they are punished.
There is no way to soften this moment. A sitting president is threatening to kill members of Congress because they released a video reminding U.S. service members of the most basic principle in military law: you must not follow unlawful orders.
That is the entirety of what these lawmakers said. Simply, remember your oath.
The group, all veterans or former intelligence officials, reiterated what military legal experts have always made clear: service members are obligated to refuse orders that violate the law, particularly those that could constitute war crimes. Their message came on the heels of a stunning revelation from the top military lawyer overseeing operations in the Caribbean and Pacific regions, who concluded that recent U.S. actions may constitute “extrajudicial killings.” That assessment, according to reports, was overruled by Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Department of Justice.
But this tantrum is not just about vengeance. It is also about distraction.
Trump is desperate to divert attention from the impending release of the Epstein Files, which he was forced to sign into law after overwhelming bipartisan votes in Congress. Now, he and Bondi are scrambling to invent excuses for withholding the documents, hinting at fabricated “national security exemptions” and claiming there is an “active investigation” into Democrats that supposedly prevents disclosure. Bondi has already used this line repeatedly, insisting she “can’t respond.”
These tactics are transparent. Trump wants to bury the Epstein documents and bury the news of the economic crisis unfolding on his watch.
The latest unemployment numbers rose to 4.4 percent, the highest level since October 2021. Inflation is climbing above 3 percent year over year. Manufacturing, transportation and goods-producing sectors are experiencing job losses that economists say resemble Great Recession-level contractions. Young workers are being hit the hardest, with unemployment nearing or surpassing double digits in some regions.
Even Fox News acknowledged Thursday morning that Americans are “hurting financially,” with their polling showing that 46 percent of Americans believe they have been harmed by Trump’s economic policies. The U.S. Labor Secretary admitted that manufacturing numbers are “not where we want them to be.” This is the opposite of what Trump promised and a direct result of his erratic trade wars, sudden tariff spikes, and open hostility toward entire industries he portrays as “woke.”
Trump’s desperation is also producing moments that would seem absurd if they were not so alarming. Senator J. D. Vance recounted that Trump handed Democratic leaders Trump 2028 campaign hats during a negotiation in the Oval Office. Trump’s own spokesperson described how the president sprays perfume and cologne on world leaders and Cabinet members, a routine she insisted happens “all the time.”
This is not normal behavior.
And as all of this unfolds, the economy falters, and polling turns sharply against him, Trump responds by lashing out and calling for executions.
Even Fox’s legal analyst pushed back, reminding viewers that refusing unlawful orders is required under U.S. law, a fact that should not need explaining in a functioning democracy.
But this is where we are.
The president is flailing. His rage is intensifying. His distractions are obvious. And the American people are watching it happen.
The question now is not whether his behavior is dangerous. It is whether our institutions, our media and our citizens are prepared to confront that danger before the chaos he is creating becomes irreversible.
One final thought: Trump’s tantrums and threats do not come from a place of strength. They reveal his weakness. It’s because he feels cornered that he is lashing out. So let’s keep up the pressure. Keep spreading the word. Keep up the momentum. And let’s continue to build pro-democracy platforms like this Substack to fight back.
