Top Dem cries ‘weaponization’ as comments warning young people not to join Trump admin land her in hot water

Senator Elissa Slotkin says President Donald Trump is escalating a coordinated effort to target her after ordering the Justice Department to examine remarks she made about young Republicans joining his administration. Trump called her comments a “criminal act”; Slotkin says she was warning only those who might break the law or misuse public money, and argues her speech is protected by the First Amendment.

Trump has not publicly specified a crime, and the Justice Department has not confirmed that it has opened an investigation. Attorney General Todd Blanche said whether political remarks could constitute a crime depends on what was said. Separately, a University of Chicago student filed a Senate ethics complaint over Slotkin’s October 13 comments, which were made during a discussion about Democrats’ use of congressional power; a previous federal grand jury declined to indict Slotkin and five other Democrats over a video about unlawful orders.