WASHINGTON -- Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin has been notified that the Trump administration is investigating her after she organized and appeared in a video with other Democrats urging military service members to resist “illegal orders.”
Slotkin, a former CIA analyst, first disclosed to The New York Times that prosecutors were investigating her. A person with knowledge of the situation who was not authorized to speak about it publicly confirmed the matter to The Associated Press.
Slotkin, who organized the 90-second video and first posted it on her X account in November, learned this month of the inquiry from the office of U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, the Justice Department's chief prosecutor in the nation's capital. Pirro's office did not immediately respond Wednesday to messages seeking comment.
The inquiry marks another escalation in President Donald Trump's reaction to a video that he and his aides have labeled as “seditious” — an offense Trump said on his social media account was “punishable by death.” Slotkin and the other Democratic lawmakers who participated in the video said in November that the FBI has contacted them to begin scheduling interviews. Pirro's involvement represents an elevation of the matter for Slotkin.
It is not clear what laws could have been violated in the video message. In it, the lawmakers, all of whom have military and national security experience, tell troops to follow established military protocols by not following commands that the law.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has censured Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, a former Navy pilot and astronaut, for participating. Hegseth is attempting to retroactively demote Kelly from his retired rank of captain. The senator is suing Hegseth to block those proceedings, calling them an unconstitutional act of retribution.
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Reps. Jason Crow of Colorado, Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania also appeared in the video. It was not clear whether any other participants are being targeted by Pirro's office or other arms of the Justice Department beyond the FBI questioning.
Slotkin was among the Democrats' bright spots in the 2024 election, winning an open Senate seat despite Trump carrying Michigan in the presidential election. She delivered the Democratic response to his congressional address in 2024.
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Associated Press writer Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.
