Sorry, George Washington Would Not Have Hanged Them.
This week, Donald Trump continues to use his claimed power to kill people who have received no due process, in international waters, based on his administration’s assertion that they are narcoterrorists.
This week, Donald Trump stood alongside Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), who the intelligence community concluded likely ordered the killing of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a correspondent for the Washington Post, during Trump’s first term in office. “A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman that you’re talking about,” Trump said to a reporter about Khashoggi, who Turkish officials believe was sedated and suffocated using a plastic bag before his body was dismembered with a chainsaw and disposed of after he went to the Saudi embassy in Istanbul to obtain paperwork from his divorce. “Whether you like him or didn’t like him, things happen,” Trump said of Khashoggi as he stood alongside MBS.
Today, Donald Trump called for the execution of members of Congress.
Apparently, the first post wasn’t explicit enough for him, so the president followed up.
What did the elected officials do? They posted a video, reminding intelligence community and service members that they don’t have to obey illegal orders.
It’s unclear why this video sparked an hours-long controversy on Fox News unless it was attempted counterprogramming of Trump being cornered into signing the Epstein files legislation last night. It’s hardly a controversial proposition. Members of the military and the intelligence community don’t have to follow illegal orders; in fact, doing so would violate their oaths, as well as the Constitution and our laws. The Senators and Representatives, all of whom have served, were showing support, reminding members of the military that they are not alone in a difficult moment.
Let’s not pretend. There have been open conversations about what’s happening at the Department of Defense, now dubbed the Department of War. Members of the military are concerned. Military support groups have been offering advice on how to handle illegal order situations. In the wake of World War II, the Nuremberg Trials established the legal principle that “following orders” is not a defense to war crimes or crimes against humanity. A classic example of an illegal order under Article 92 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which requires compliance with all legal orders, is an order to target civilians.
It’s not at all clear what Trump’s point is in objecting to the video members of Congress put out today, unless it’s that service members must obey his orders—legal or not.
But the point is this, even if these members of Congress had done something traitorous—which they absolutely didn’t—even if they’d clearly broken the law—which they didn’t—the president doesn’t get to impose punishment. That’s up to the courts. And he certainly doesn’t get to impose the death penalty. That happens in countries like North Korea, Iran, and … Saudi Arabia.
In many American homes, discussion of politics has become verboten. Whatever the value of sacrificing discussion to keep the peace, this news from today is not politics, and it should be discussed at kitchen tables and Thanksgiving dinner tables across our country. Every American should understand both this news and what it means: That the president of the United States, who has killed people abroad, is now asserting the desire to see elected representatives in this country killed, that the president who stood alongside the Saudi crown prince who suborned the murder of Jamal Khashoggi defended the murderer, not the victim. George Washington would, most certainly, not have hanged members of Congress for expressing their views. He would not have approved of what Donald Trump said today, or pretty much any day. We can no longer afford to permit those around us to bury their heads in the sand and pretend this isn’t happening. It is all too real. It is all too risky, given that this president’s words have all too frequently become actions once spoken to his followers.
This is about country, not politics.
We’re in this together,
Joyce
I just sent a message of support to my rep, Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), a Naval Reserve officer, expressing my shock that the commander-in-chief would countenance the death penalty against those who are reminding service members that they swore an oath to the Constitution, not a president. This is stochastic terror, and he will be responsible should any harm come to these people. Shameful and appalling.
Thank you for laying this all out so clearly. There are many times that thoughts like these float around inside my head, but I can rarely put ideas together as clearly as people with your eduction and experience can. (You and HCR are both great!)