Senator Elissa Slotkin under federal investigation over 'illegal orders' video to troops

Federal prosecutors are investigating Senator Elissa Slotkin over a video urging troops not to follow illegal orders
PUBLISHED JAN 14, 2026
Elissa Slotkin said the inquiry felt like intimidation, warning of constant threats of legal action against her, her family, and her staff (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Elissa Slotkin said the inquiry felt like intimidation, warning of constant threats of legal action against her, her family, and her staff (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

LANSING, MICHIGAN: Federal prosecutors are now investigating Senator Elissa Slotkin after she appeared in a video telling military and intelligence members that they should not follow illegal orders.

The investigation adds to growing legal tension surrounding several Democratic lawmakers who shared the same message in the video. 

Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Tim Boring host a listening session with Michigan farmers and agriculture industry leaders on tariffs, immigration, H5N1, and rural economic development on March 20, 2025 in Sparta, Michigan. The session comes two days after Michigan farmers held a
Sen Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Tim Boring host a listening session with Michigan farmers and agriculture industry leaders on tariffs, immigration, H5N1, and rural economic development on March 20, 2025 in Sparta, Michigan (Chris duMond/Getty Images)

Federal probe intensifies over Elissa Slotkin’s military advice video

Senator Elissa Slotkin, who previously worked for the CIA in Iraq, told the New York Times that she learned about the investigation from the office of Jeanine Pirro, the attorney for the District of Columbia.

Her office confirmed the inquiry but did not provide further details about what prosecutors are examining.

Capitol Building on July 1, 2025 in Washington, DC. Republican leaders are pushing to get President Donald Trump's so-called
Capitol Building on July 1, 2025 in Washington, DC. Republican leaders are pushing to get President Donald Trump's so-called 'One, Big, Beautiful Bill' Act through Congress and to his desk before the July 4 Independence Day holiday (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Slotkin said the pressure felt more like intimidation than a search for the truth, stating, “Facts matter little, but the threat matters quite a bit,” and adding that there is a constant “threat of legal action; the threat to your family; the threat to your staff; the threat to you.”

Mark Kelly challenges Pentagon over alleged demotion

Slotkin is not the only person in the video facing scrutiny, as Senator Mark Kelly is also engaged in a legal fight with the government.

Kelly, a retired Navy captain, recently sued Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after the Pentagon attempted to punish him for what it described as “seditious statements.”

Kelly is pushing back against the effort to demote him, calling the move by the Defense Department “unlawful and unconstitutional.”



In addition to Slotkin, Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz), Representative Jason Crow (D-Colo), Representative Chris Deluzio (D-Pa), Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa), and Representative Maggie Goodlander (D-NH) also appeared in the video.

The controversy erupted after Slotkin and fellow Democratic veterans posted a message urging troops “not to follow unspecified illegal orders.”

Elissa Slotkin receives threats after Trump seditious comments

The situation intensified after Trump accused the lawmakers in the video of “seditious behavior.”

Trump took to Truth Social to denounce the move, stating, “It’s called SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL.” While he initially claimed their actions were “punishable by death,” he later clarified that he was not threatening their lives but still believed they were “in serious trouble.”



Because of these comments and the public backlash, Slotkin said she began receiving threats almost immediately.

She noted that the situation became so dangerous that the Capitol Police told her she would need to be placed under 24/7 security to keep her safe.

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