Sen. Elissa Slotkin condemned President Trump after he suggested arrest, trial and execution for lawmakers who urged troops to refuse unlawful orders. Slotkin and several veteran lawmakers posted a video advising service members to follow the law and the Constitution. Trump characterized the clip as 'seditious' and called for death as punishment; Slotkin responded that threats of violence are 'beyond the pale' and reaffirmed her oath to the Constitution.
‘Beyond the Pale’: Sen. Elissa Slotkin Calls Trump’s Execution Threat Un-American
Sen. Elissa Slotkin condemned President Trump after he suggested arrest, trial and execution for lawmakers who urged troops to refuse unlawful orders. Slotkin and several veteran lawmakers posted a video advising service members to follow the law and the Constitution. Trump characterized the clip as 'seditious' and called for death as punishment; Slotkin responded that threats of violence are 'beyond the pale' and reaffirmed her oath to the Constitution.
04:45 AM, 11/21/2025Politics
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) on Monday condemned President Donald Trump after he suggested that she and other Democratic lawmakers should face arrest, trial and even execution following a video urging U.S. service members to refuse unlawful orders.
Slotkin, a former CIA officer, appeared in the video alongside Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Representatives Jason Crow (D-Colo.), Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.), Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.). The lawmakers addressed the military and intelligence communities, telling service members that 'no one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution' and encouraging them: 'Know that we have your back… don’t give up the ship.'
On his Truth Social account, Mr. Trump responded by calling the clip 'SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!!' and adding 'SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!'. Slotkin said the comments included a direct threat of 'arrest, trial, and death by hanging' aimed at service and veteran members of Congress who participated in the video.
'I’m Sen. Elissa Slotkin, senator from Michigan, former CIA officer,' Slotkin said in a video addressing the president’s remarks. 'Earlier today, President Trump threatened myself, and a number of service and veteran lawmakers with arrest, trial, and death because he didn’t agree with a video we put out this week.'
'This isn’t really about those of us who made the video. This is about who we are as Americans and how we’re going to engage with people who we disagree with,' she added. 'Threatening death for people you disagree with is beyond the pale of who we are as Americans.'
Slotkin reaffirmed her commitment to the Constitution, noting she has sworn an oath to it 'many times, most recently less than a year ago as a senator' and said she answers to that oath 'not to any one man, not to any president.' She concluded that she will not be intimidated from speaking up on behalf of the country she loves.
This exchange highlights growing tensions around civilian-military relations and political rhetoric directed at members of Congress who are also veterans or former intelligence officials.