Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan senator and former CIA operative, has announced plans for targeted prosecutions of members of President Donald Trump’s administration in an effort to deter young conservatives from entering politics.
In an interview with the University of Chicago’s campus newspaper, The Chicago Thinker, Slotkin stated: “I want young people coming out of school to say, ‘Should I go work for the Trump administration? Like that sounds fun, I might get an opportunity.’ I want them to be like, ‘Lord, that might be buying myself a ton of problems that I don’t want, and so let me avoid participating in that.’”
Slotkin has been described by critics as a “Bolshevik.” She previously joined the group known as the “Seditious Six,” which encouraged military officers to disregard orders from Trump’s leadership. However, she admitted during an interview that she was unaware of any illegal orders.
The senator also referenced her past concerns about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s policies regarding women in combat. Slotkin stated: “I can tell you, because I was at the Pentagon on Thursday, and there is absolute, like, hallway, constant chatter and conversation and concern from senior women officers. But also I’ve heard from folks who I’ve recommended to service academies, young women who are just starting out their career, saying, ‘Am I going to actually be able to accomplish what I want to accomplish here?’”
Slotkin has drawn comparisons between her proposed show trials and post-January 6th actions by the Biden administration. She described the goal of these trials as creating a “list of signature cases” against Trump administration figures, with potential sentences ranging up to 20 years for individuals including former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley has criticized Slotkin’s approach, noting it mirrors the Biden administration’s post-January 6th campaign against Trump supporters. In an interview with CBS News, Justice Department official Michael Sherwin explained that the administration used a “scorched-earth campaign” to target Trump supporters with harsh penalties, including surveillance on over 40 congressmen and senators. Turley also highlighted that Special Counsel Jack Smith has tracked nearly 650,000 Republicans, gathering information on Trump campaign personnel and sales of MAGA merchandise. Senate Judiciary Committee chief Chuck Grassley confirmed similar actions by the January 6th Committee.
Republican Senator Mike Lee condemned Slotkin’s remarks as “absolutely disgraceful,” while Federalist co-founder Sean Davis accused her of being a “Bolshevik terrorist” who should be censured by the Senate and charged with treason.