Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) said she wants young people weighing jobs in the Trump administration to think twice, warning that working for the administration could lead to legal trouble down the road.
Slotkin made the comments during a live recording of Vox’s “America, Actually” podcast at the University of Chicago on October 13. She was speaking with editorial director Astead Herndon about how Democrats might hold Trump officials accountable if they regain power.
A 26-second clip of the exchange began circulating online on Saturday. In it, Slotkin describes wanting to build a set of “signature cases” targeting not just President Trump but the people who worked for him.
“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.’ I want that deterrence message sent.”
Slotkin had previewed the strategy two weeks earlier in remarks at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where she described wanting Democrats to pursue a list of “signature cases” against Trump officials, citing Poland’s “Iron Broom” anti-corruption campaign as a model.
Among the cases she flagged were allegations involving $200 million in advertising contracts connected to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and a $13 million no-bid contract tied to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. She also said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro should face professional consequences if it’s found she misused her office. Slotkin framed these as allegations still requiring proof, not established findings of wrongdoing.
The Chicago comments extended that argument to people who haven’t yet taken a government job, and in some cases may never work in politics at all. Slotkin said she wants the prospect of future legal jeopardy to factor into their decision before they ever apply.
Slotkin’s Own Brush With Investigation
The comments stand in contrast to how Slotkin described her own experience earlier this year. In November 2025, Slotkin and five other Democratic lawmakers released a video urging members of the military to refuse illegal orders. Trump accused them of seditious behavior and called for an investigation. In February, a federal grand jury declined to indict Slotkin or the other lawmakers.
After the grand jury’s decision, Slotkin accused Trump of weaponizing the justice system against her. She had raised concerns about the pressure of a potential prosecution as early as January, while the investigation was still active, telling the New York Times:
“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.”
Slotkin has not accused prospective Trump administration employees of any crimes. Rather, she has said she wants the broader climate of investigations surrounding Trump officials to give future job-seekers pause before accepting a position.
