Trump Orders DOJ Probe of Democrats Over Impeachment Threats

President Trump said Saturday he has directed the Department of Justice to investigate Democrats he accuses of threatening administration officials with impeachment and Republican donors with prison.

"The Democrats are going around threatening a lot of people, including the Attorney General of the United States," Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that they are doing so "even though they admit they have no reason to do so." He said Attorney General Todd Blanche and other targeted officials have committed no impeachable acts. He called "these EXTORTIONISTS" criminals and asked DOJ to look into the conduct as a "criminal act."

Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) was the only Democrat Trump named. He said she claimed she would "go after all young people that believe in Republican Values." Fox News reports he appears to be referring to Slotkin's Oct. 13 remarks at the University of Chicago about pursuing "signature cases" against people who "enabled" Trump. In those remarks she said she wants young people leaving school to think twice about working for the administration: "I want that deterrence message sent."

Trump did not name Reps. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) or Deborah Ross (D-N.C.), who have publicly backed impeaching Blanche since Election Day. Johnson said Thursday on SiriusXM that Blanche's conduct "demand[s] that he be impeached and convicted." Ross said she supports impeaching Blanche but Democrats "should start with Hegseth."

Trump also did not identify which donors he says were threatened. Fox reports that Democrats have signaled plans to investigate some major Republican donors and corporations once they take control of Congress, including possible donors to the White House ballroom, citing Reuters. The article carries no response from Democratic leadership to Trump's post.

Whether any of it amounts to a crime is for DOJ to decide. Slotkin's Oct. 13 words are on the record, and so are Trump's; readers can judge for themselves what was said and what was meant.