Dem Rep. Crow: Trump Using ‘Fear and Intimidation and Threats to Silence Opposition’

Rep. Jason Crow appeared on CNN’s The Arena Thursday to accuse President Donald Trump of using “fear and intimidation and threats to silence opposition,” reacting to a partisan video in which Democratic lawmakers instructed military personnel on refusing “illegal orders.” Host Kasie Hunt opened the segment by citing Trump’s comments about the lawmakers potentially being “guilty of sedition,” asking Crow how seriously he viewed the possibility. Crow responded, “We have to take everything that Donald Trump says seriously. He throws a lot of stuff out there, but some of the things he carries through on. But listen, I’m not going to be intimidated. I’m not going to be threatened. I took an oath to the Constitution. I’ve seen friends and people that I’ve served with give everything to uphold that oath. That is an oath that will last my entire life, and I intend to keep it. And I’m just not going to allow him to silence dissent and opposition. And it just tells us everything that we need to know that reminding people to obey the law, reminding people to obey the Constitution, is somehow criminal in Trump world and should be responded to with death threats.”

The interview fit a familiar pattern: Democrats casting themselves as guardians of democracy even as they produce highly politicized messaging aimed straight at the chain of command—something every service member knows can carry real consequences if misused. Crow continued, “What he is trying to do is he’s trying to use fear and intimidation and threats to silence opposition. And if he’s successful in doing that, we are all lost. And I’m not going to allow him to do it. I’m going to stand up and I’m going to lead, and I’m going to do what’s necessary to uphold the Constitution now and always.”

What went unmentioned is why the video stirred concern in the first place. Civil–military boundaries exist for a reason: to prevent elected officials from injecting partisan pressure into lawful command structures and to keep political disputes from compromising national security. When lawmakers push messaging meant to pre-frame military obedience around hypothetical “illegal orders,” it inevitably invites scrutiny—especially from a president tasked with preserving order, clarity, and a functioning chain of command. CNN’s segment instead narrowed the conversation to Trump’s tone rather than the far more consequential question: why Democratic lawmakers are distributing politically charged guidance to active-duty personnel at all.