Washington is ablaze with tension as President Donald Trump unleashes a verbal storm on Democratic lawmakers, branding them as betrayers of the nation who deserve severe punishment.
Following the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, Trump’s sharp accusations against Democrats, coupled with a provocative video from opposition leaders urging military defiance, have deepened the political divide and dimmed hopes for bipartisan agreements on critical issues like health insurance subsidies and federal funding.
Just two weeks after the grueling shutdown ended, Trump took to Truth Social with a blistering attack, labeling Democratic senators and representatives as “traitors” for their alleged disloyalty.
He zeroed in on Sens. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, alongside several House Democrats, accusing them of “seditious behavior” that he claimed warranted the harshest penalties.
Late Saturday, Trump doubled down, posting that those urging the military to ignore his directives should be locked up immediately, dismissing their attempts to justify their stance as feeble excuses.
Republican lawmakers and strategists are scratching their heads, worrying that such heated language risks torpedoing Trump’s legislative agenda at a time when unity is desperately needed to tackle looming deadlines.
The spark for this firestorm was a video from Democratic figures, including Sens. Kelly and Slotkin, alongside Reps. Jason Crow of Colorado, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania, and Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, all with national security credentials, are calling on military personnel to reject unlawful commands without naming specifics.
Some Republicans privately grumble that this move was a calculated jab, designed to provoke Trump into a response that would paint him as unhinged—a trap they believe he stepped right into with his fiery retorts.
Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky called Trump’s rhetoric “reckless” and “irresponsible,” arguing that suggesting extreme punishment for political foes crosses a dangerous line for discourse in a democracy.
Amid this war of words, the chances of striking deals on expiring health insurance premium subsidies by Christmas or securing long-term funding for key federal agencies like Defense, Health and Human Services, and Education by late January are slipping away fast.
Centrist Senate Democrats had hoped to broker a bipartisan agreement with GOP colleagues to extend those subsidies past December, but the toxic atmosphere in Washington has all but crushed that ambition.
Vin Weber, a seasoned Republican strategist and former House member, lamented the sour mood, noting, “I think it’s problematic all the way around. I have thought that since the last shutdown ended.”
Weber’s point stings—lawmakers are set to return from the Thanksgiving break mired in this mess, distracted by side issues rather than focusing on keeping the government funded into the new year.
Meanwhile, the Department of Defense has opened an investigation into Sen. Kelly, a retired Navy captain and astronaut, over what it calls serious misconduct allegations, adding another layer of friction to an already charged situation.
While Trump’s supporters may cheer his no-nonsense stance against what they see as a progressive overreach, even his allies must wonder if dialing up the rhetoric to this level risks alienating the very partners needed to govern effectively—turning a policy fight into a personal vendetta rarely builds bridges in a divided capital.
