President Donald Trump instructed the Justice Department to investigate Democratic lawmakers for alleged extortion following their midterm election victories.
President Donald Trump ordered the Department of Justice on Saturday afternoon to investigate Democratic lawmakers, accusing them of criminal extortion after they discussed impeaching members of his administration. Fox News reported that Trump announced the directive on Truth Social following Tuesday’s midterm elections, in which Democrats won control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The order follows the midterm vote where Democrats won majorities in both chambers of Congress, setting up clashes with the White House over committee oversight, subpoena authority and cabinet positions.
Trump’s claims of extortion
In his social media post, Trump wrote that Democrats were threatening officials such as Attorney General Todd Blanche with impeachment and other punishments without valid reasons. Trump argued that no administration official had committed impeachable offenses and claimed the actions by lawmakers amounted to criminal extortion. Al Jazeera reported that Trump provided no evidence for his claim that the political threats constituted a crime, but wrote that “This is extortion at the highest level, and they should be held accountable for this.”
Trump also accused Democrats of intimidating his political donors with threats of imprisonment because of their political beliefs. He referred to his financial supporters as some of the most respected people in the world, though he didn’t specify which donors had received threats. Trump named Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin in the post, accusing her of attempting to target young people who hold Republican views.
Democratic impeachment talk and Slotkin’s remarks
The president’s comments came after Democratic lawmakers publicly discussed possible impeachment efforts against members of his cabinet. Representative Hank Johnson of Georgia stated his position on Thursday during an interview on Dan Abrams’ SiriusXM radio show. “I personally believe that the offenses of Todd Blanche demand that he be impeached and convicted and removed from office,” Johnson said.
Representative Deborah Ross of North Carolina appeared on the same radio program shortly after Johnson and backed Blanche’s impeachment as well, though she argued that Democrats should prioritize Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Trump didn’t name Johnson or Ross in his post, nor did he mention that Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, will likely reintroduce impeachment articles against Hegseth on Monday.
Trump’s mention of Slotkin appeared to refer to remarks she made on Oct. 13 at the University of Chicago. During that appearance, Slotkin talked about pursuing signature cases against figures who enabled Trump to deter graduates from joining the administration. Slotkin told the audience she wanted students to decide that working for the administration could buy them serious legal trouble and choose to avoid participating.
What happens next in January
When the new Congress convenes in January, Democrats will hold the committee majorities needed to request documents, hold public hearings and issue subpoenas to administration officials. Democratic lawmakers have stated plans to investigate multiple targets, including Hegseth, Blanche, the financial dealings of the Trump family, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Congressional investigations may also examine major Republican donors and corporate contributors, including individuals who contributed funds for the White House ballroom. Following the midterm vote, Representative Robert Garcia of California, who is positioned to chair the House Oversight Committee, posted on social media telling figures in the administration to retain legal counsel.
During his second presidential term, Trump has repeatedly called for federal investigations into prominent political opponents, including former Federal Bureau of Investigation director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
