Another lurch downward.

Trump accused six Democratic lawmakers of “seditious behaviour, punishable by death”, after they released a video urging US service members to refuse unlawful commands.

“This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country. Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???,” Trump wrote on social media.

No. Not lock them up. Lock you up. You’re what’s dangerous to the country and the world. Illegal orders are the short road to war crimes. You aspire to be a war criminal; decent people don’t aspire to that.

The six lawmakers, all of whom have served in the military or intelligence community, called the remarks dangerous and said they amounted to threats against elected officials.

“No threat, intimidation, or call for violence will deter us from that sacred obligation,” they said in a joint statement.

The video, shared on Tuesday by Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin, features Arizona Senator Mark Kelly and Representatives Chris DeLuzio of Pennsylvania, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania and Jason Crow of Colorado.

A message from Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, who served in the Navy and is a former astronaut says: “Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders.”

And you should, because war crimes are bad.

The response from Trump on Thursday morning came from a set of TruthSocial posts.

“It’s called SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL. Their words cannot be allowed to stand — We won’t have a Country anymore!!! An example MUST BE SET,” he wrote in one post on Thursday.

He went on to say: “This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country. Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???”

In a third post, he wrote: “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”

It’s like being in a car on a steep narrow mountain road, driven by a toddler.