Vox Releases Full Elissa Slotkin 'America, Actually' Interview at Center of Clash With Trump

Vox has released the full recording of Sen. Elissa Slotkin's live interview on its politics podcast "America, Actually with Astead Herndon," the conversation at the center of a days-long dispute between the Michigan Democrat, President Donald Trump and several Republican officials over her comments about holding Trump administration officials accountable.

The episode, titled "Who gets to lead Democrats next?," was published in the podcast's feed on Oct. 20 and was recorded before an audience at the University of Chicago's Institute of Politics. On Oct. 21, Vox published an edited excerpt of the conversation by Cameron Peters and Herndon under the headline "This Democrat's accountability plan has Trump fuming."

What Slotkin said on stage

According to the Vox excerpt, Slotkin told Herndon that the main divide in the Democratic Party is no longer between moderates and progressives. "Particularly in the era of Trump, I think it is fight versus flight," she said.

She laid out three priorities if Democrats win one or both chambers of Congress in the Nov. 3 midterm elections: passing two or three major bills aimed at household costs, which she identified as housing and healthcare; pursuing what she called "signature cases" of corruption; and changes to "Trump-proof the government going forward so that no president of any party can ever abuse the system the way he did."

The remarks that drew the strongest reaction came after Herndon asked whether impeachment should be a focus of a Democratic-controlled House. "I want to look at these signature cases and not just focus on the president, but on the people who enabled him," Slotkin said, according to Vox. "I want young people coming out of school to say, 'Should I go work for the Trump administration? 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."

Asked about 2028, Slotkin said, "I have been open that I'm looking at it. It does not need to be me."

A clip spreads before the episode airs

Fox News reported on Oct. 18 that the event took place on Oct. 13 and that a clip of the exchange was circulating online. The outlet cited George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley, who wrote on X that Slotkin had "said the quiet part out loud."

CNN reported on Oct. 19 that a group describing itself as a student-run conservative and libertarian publication at the University of Chicago posted the clip on X, where it had been viewed more than 7 million times. CNN reported that Trump, asked about the remarks on Monday, called Slotkin a "lowlife who's ruining her state" and said: "What they're doing is really discouraging people from going into politics. No, a weaponized government of Democrats, that's what they've done."

Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, wrote, "It is absolutely disgraceful to threaten young Americans for participating in politics and serving their country," according to CNN. Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor called the comments "incredibly disappointing and unprofessional." Conservative lawyer Mike Davis wrote that Slotkin should "learn about the Second Amendment, sweetheart," CNN reported.

Slotkin's response

The Detroit News reported that the viral clip cut out Herndon's question about impeachment and that Slotkin "never mentioned prosecution for staffers or prospective staffers in the exchange." The paper reported that Slotkin said Davis was effectively calling for her to be shot. In a post on Monday, she wrote: "This shouldn't be controversial: if you aid in stealing taxpayer money or directing it to enrich President Trump or his family, then you should be held accountable for that crime. That's what I said, and I stand by it."

Slotkin replied to Lee on X that he was "lying about what I said" and wrote, "spare us the manufactured outrage," CNN reported. On CNN's "The Lead" on Monday evening, she said: "My point is, do not get yourself involved in illegal activity."

A press release from Slotkin's Senate office dated Oct. 19 said she also addressed the criticism on MS NOW's "Deadline White House" and stated that the attacks referenced "a recording of Vox's 'America, Actually' podcast at the University of Chicago."

According to the episode notes, the Slotkin interview can also be watched on Vox's YouTube channel.