Trump says he is ordering DOJ to investigate Democrats over impeachment threats
In his Truth Social post, he calls the threats "extortion" and names Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, after Democrats won both chambers of Congress.
President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post on Saturday that he is ordering the to look into Democrats for threatening people with and other forms of punishment. The post came days after Democrats won both and the in Tuesday's elections. Trump called the threats "extortion at the highest level" and wrote that "the imprisonment should be against these EXTORTIONISTS."
He also said Democrats are threatening Republican donors with imprisonment. Al Jazeera reports he gave no evidence for that. Trump singled out Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, saying she threatened to go after all young people who believe in Republican values.
Fox News says he appears to refer to her Oct. 13 remarks at the University of Chicago, when she said she wanted a "deterrence message" sent to young people weighing jobs in his administration. Al Jazeera reports that probes of , the Trump family's finances, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Todd Blanche are among the plans announced by Democratic lawmakers and newly elected candidates. Reps. Hank Johnson and Deborah Ross have said they support impeaching Blanche.
In a later post, Trump urged people to report such threats to the DOJ or to him. The White House did not immediately respond to the Daily Beast's request for comment.
Three sides of the story
24 news outlets reported this
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Liberal10 outlets
Trump demanding Democrats' jailing, with no evidence offered
Al Jazeera English opens with Trump's order to the Justice Department to look into Democrats for "threatening a lot of people." It stresses that he offered no evidence for calling it a "criminal act," or for saying Slotkin threatened people over their views. It then lists what Democrats have said they will pursue after taking : probes of the Trump family's finances, ICE, Hegseth and Blanche.
It quotes Rep. Robert Garcia's "LAWYER UP" post and recalls Trump's earlier calls to investigate James Comey and Letitia James. The Daily Beast headlines the story "Trump Unravels With Wild Demand for Democrats' Imprisonment." It describes the 80-year-old president as calling for Democrats to be jailed, notes that Blanche was once his personal lawyer, and quotes his line that "the imprisonment should be against these EXTORTIONISTS."
It says he "falsely" claimed Slotkin, 50, threatened young Republicans. It adds that the White House gave no immediate answer when asked for comment.
- Al Jazeera English: Trump orders DOJ to investigate Democrats for ‘threatening’ people
- The Daily Beast: Trump Unravels With Wild Demand for Democrats’ Imprisonment
Center4 outlets
Trump's request over impeachment calls against cabinet officials
Per The Hill, on Saturday Trump "raised concerns" about some Democrats urging impeachment of GOP officials. It quotes him calling the threats "extortion at the highest level" and asking the Justice Department to "look into this."
Conservative10 outlets
Democrats' threats against Republicans and Trump's call for action
Fox News reports Trump's order of a probe into alleged threats against administration officials, notes he named only Slotkin, and quotes her Oct. 13 "deterrence message" remarks. The New York Post calls it a demand for a probe and prison for "extortionist" Democrats after the GOP's midterm "blowout."
It lists Garcia's "lawyer up" warning, Reps. Johnson and Ross floating Blanche's impeachment, and Raskin and Pritzker seeking a probe of DOGE. The Washington Examiner puts Slotkin in its headline, adds Trump's later post saying "These SLEAZEBAGS should go to jail," and carries her X reply that his threats "didn't work." RedState opens by saying political threats and outright violence seem "almost exclusively the province of the Left."
It centers on Trump's later post urging people to report threats to the DOJ or to him, and quotes Johnson and Ross on impeaching Blanche.
- Fox News: Trump orders DOJ probe into Democrats over alleged threats against admin officials
- New York Post: Trump demands DOJ investigation, prison for ‘extortionist’ Democrats following GOP’s midterm blowout
- Washington Examiner: Trump orders DOJ to investigate Democrats over ‘extortion’ and calls out Slotkin by name
- RedState: Trump: Report Dem Threats to Republican Party Members, Donors to DOJ - or Him Directly
- Liberal outlets did not mentionSlotkin's Oct. 13 remarks about sending a deterrence message to young people weighing work in the administration Reported by Fox News, RedState, New York Post, Washington Examiner
- Liberal outlets did not mentionTrump named Stephen Miller as chief of staff the day before the post Reported by Washington Examiner, New York Post
- Liberal outlets did not mentionTrump's later post urging people to report threats to the DOJ or to him Reported by Washington Examiner, RedState
Which side made the stronger case?
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- The White House: ICYMI: AG Todd Blanche Dismantles Democrats’ “Oversight” Charade on the Sunday Shows
All sources: 39 articles from 24 outlets
Liberal (15)
- ABC News: Trump and his Justice Department stand defiant as Democrats ready an investigative blitz
- Al Jazeera English: Trump orders DOJ to investigate Democrats for ‘threatening’ people
- Axios: Trump's AG won't rule out prosecuting Democrats who threaten to investigate
- HuffPost: Todd Blanche Suggests He'd Investigate Democrats On Trump's Orders
- MS NOW: Todd Blanche threatens to prosecute lawmakers planning oversight probes
- NBC News: Slotkin lawyer warns Blanche not to obey Trump’s ‘frivolous’ demand to investigate her
- NPR: Incoming House Oversight Committee chair Robert Garcia reacts to White House warning
- NPR: White House warns Democrats over future probes, citing possible 'criminality'
- PBS NewsHour: Trump and his Justice Department stand defiant as Democrats ready an investigative blitz
- The Daily Beast: Kaitlan Collins Sounds Alarm on White House Warning
- The Daily Beast: Attorney General Todd Blanche's Threat to Dems Backfires Immediately
- The Daily Beast: Trump Goon Lashes Out Over Embarrassing Question
- The Daily Beast: Trump Unravels With Wild Demand for Democrats’ Imprisonment
- The New Republic: Todd Blanche Threatens to Arrest Democrats Over “Rhetoric”
- The New Republic: Todd Blanche Loses His Mind Over Looming Democratic Investigations
Center (7)
- Newsweek: Blanche Responds to Trump’s Call to Investigate Democrats Over ‘Lawfare’
- Reason: Trump Orders Justice Department To Investigate His Congressional Critics, Saying They Deserve 'Imprisonment'
- The Hill: House Democrat responds to White House warning: 'Come at me, bro'
- The Hill: Blanche dodges questions on investigating Democrats
- The Hill: Trump asks DOJ to investigate Democrats calling for impeachment of cabinet officials
- The Seattle Times: Trump and his Justice Department stand defiant as Democrats ready an investigative blitz
- The Seattle Times: Trump threatens Democrats over their plans to investigate his team
Conservative (17)
- Breitbart News: Elissa Slotkin: Midterms Were a Rebuke of Trump 'Personally'
- Breitbart News: Trump Orders DOJ Probe of Democrat Leaders' Threats to Republicans: 'Extortion at the Highest Level'
- Daily Caller: AG Todd Blanche Warns Incoming Democrat Majority Will Reach Beyond Normal Oversight Of Trump, GOP
- Fox News: Top Dem cries ‘weaponization’ as comments warning young people not to join Trump admin land her in hot water
- Fox News: Trump orders DOJ probe into Democrats over alleged threats against admin officials
- Just the News: Trump calls Democrats ‘extortionists,’ says DOJ should investigate their impeachment threats
- Just the News: Trump calls Democrats ‘extortionists,’ says DOJ should investigate their impeachment threats
- New York Post: AG Blanche clashes with CNN anchor asking whether it’s his ‘job’ to defend the Trump admin
- New York Post: Trump demands DOJ investigation, prison for ‘extortionist’ Democrats following GOP’s midterm blowout
- RedState: AG Blanche: Yes, Trump DOJ May Probe Democratic Oversight
- RedState: Trump: Report Dem Threats to Republican Party Members, Donors to DOJ - or Him Directly
- The Epoch Times: Trump Orders DOJ to Probe Alleged Threats by Democrats Against Conservatives
- The Washington Times: Attorney General Todd Blanche: Threats from Democrats 'not going to work'
- The Washington Times: 'EXTORTIONISTS': Trump ordering probe of Democrats threatening Republicans
- Townhall: AG Todd Blanche Refuses to Rule Out Prosecuting Corrupt Democrat Lawmakers
- Washington Examiner: Blanche backs Trump call for DOJ investigation into Democratic impeachment push
- Washington Examiner: Trump orders DOJ to investigate Democrats over ‘extortion’ and calls out Slotkin by name
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