Slotkin accuses Trump of weaponizing government after president says 'she should be tried'
(FOX 2) - U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin accused President Donald Trump of weaponizing the justice department and dared him to arrest her after he said she be put on trial.
"If the president wants to investigate and arrest me, and even worse, as so many authoritarian leaders do with their political adversaries, then do it," she said in a video posted on social media. "It's gotten predictable at this point."
Slotkin's post on social media follows several days of commentary around remarks she made at the University of Chicago where she said Democrats' investigations into the Trump Administration might discourage employees from working for the president.
The clip that circulated online was widely discussed, including by some conservatives who claimed she was pushing "fascist" techniques.
Slotkin vs. Trump
The backstory:
The dispute between Michigan's U.S. Senator and the president goes back to 2025 when Slotkin and other members of Congress shared a video encouraging members of the military to refuse illegal orders.
Trump responded that it was "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR" that was punishable by death:
"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. President DJT"
A bomb threat was later made at Slotkin's home.
Slotkin and lawmakers like U.S. Sen. Mark Kelley shared the clip after receiving questions from enlisted military members who were concerned about the nature of the orders they were being given.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin says feds are investigating her after military video
Slotkin said last week she received an inquiry from US Attorney Jeanine Pirro's District of Columbia office.
Dig deeper:
The Trump administration later attempted to indict Slotkin by persuading a Grand Jury she was guilty of sedition.
On Feb. 11, her team announced the jury rejected the DOJ's arguments.
Trump: Slotkin ‘should be tried’
Catching up:
On Oct. 20, Trump said Slotkin "should be tried" after her remarks at the University of Chicago.
"She's a lightweight, by the way. Total lightweight - stupid person," Trump said in the Oval Office. "She's a person that should be tried for what she did."
The other side:
In a video shared shortly after Trump's remarks, Slotkin said she would not be "intimidated out of standing up for the rule of law."
"I've been the target of attacks from D.C. Republicans and right-wing media. It culminated in President Trump just a few hours ago in the Oval Office saying that I should be tried in court.
"This time, it's because I dared to talk about the corruption coming out of the White House. This shouldn't be complicated. If you break the law or abuse taxpayer dollars, you should be held accountable, no matter who you are or who you work for.
"If I've learned one thing from this past year, it's that you have to push back... But I'm not going to be intimidated out of standing up for the rule of law and the country that has given me everything."
The Source: U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin, President Donald Trump, and previous reporting was cited for this story.