stoutfellow

"Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court."

"Enemies", here, means states with whom the U.S. is at war.

The Founding Fathers included this very narrow definition of treason because English monarchs had used the accusation of treason as a catchall by which they could eliminate their enemies.

Verb. sap.