Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., said Wednesday that federal prosecutors are investigating her role in a social media video urging U.S. military and intelligence personnel to refuse "illegal orders," a new escalation in the Trump administration's fierce backlash to the message.
Slotkin, a former CIA analyst, disclosed the inquiry in an interview with The New York Times and said she learned this month that the office of U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro in Washington was examining her participation.
The 90-second video was first posted in November on Slotkin's social media account and featured lawmakers with military or national security backgrounds, including Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo.; Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa.; Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa.; and Rep. Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H.
In the clip, the group warned that threats to the Constitution "aren't just coming from abroad, but from right here at home" and told service members, "You can refuse illegal orders." The video did not specify particular commands the lawmakers believed would be unlawful.
Slotkin told the Times that she viewed the inquiry as an attempt to intimidate her and others, saying, "Facts matter little, but the threat matters quite a bit — the threat of legal action; the threat to your family; the threat to your staff; the threat to you."
Pirro's office did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment Wednesday. It was not clear what laws prosecutors believe could have been violated by the video or whether investigators have identified any specific criminal offense.
Slotkin and the other lawmakers have said they were emphasizing established military rules that require service members to follow lawful orders and provide avenues to challenge unlawful ones.
The investigation also underscores how President Donald Trump and his aides have sought to frame the video as "seditious."
Trump wrote on social media that "seditious" conduct was "punishable by death," echoing rhetoric that has drawn criticism from Democrats and some legal experts who argue the claims overstate both the facts and the law.
Slotkin's disclosure comes as Kelly pursues his own legal fight tied to the same episode. War Secretary Pete Hegseth has censured Kelly for participating in the video and is seeking to retroactively reduce the senator's retired rank of captain, a move that could cut his retirement pay.
Kelly has sued Hegseth and other Pentagon officials, arguing the actions amount to unconstitutional retaliation for protected speech and an unprecedented effort by the executive branch to punish a sitting member of Congress.
Other lawmakers in the video do not draw military retirement pay and have not faced comparable Pentagon proceedings, though it remains unclear whether prosecutors are reviewing the actions of additional participants.
Slotkin entered the Senate after winning an open Michigan seat in 2024, one of Democrats' few bright spots that year, and she delivered her party's response to Trump's congressional address in 2025.
Pirro, a former television host and judge, began serving as interim U.S. attorney in May 2025 and was confirmed by the Senate in August 2025, according to the Justice Department.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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