WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Freshman Sen. Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat long viewed as a moderate, said she was stunned by President Donald Trump’s furious reaction to a video she and five other Democratic lawmakers posted urging military service members to reject unlawful orders. “This was not on my bingo card,” Slotkin said in an interview Thursday. The lawmakers’ video, released Tuesday, called on Defense and Homeland Security leaders to testify amid concerns raised by service members about potential domestic deployments and controversial military actions overseas. Within hours, Trump accused the group of “sedition” in a series of social media posts, language that included the phrase “punishable by death.” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later walked back the implication that the president was advocating executions but said Trump believes the lawmakers’ message was “dangerous” and potentially illegal. Slotkin said the U.S. Capitol Police have increased her security after what she described as a spike in threats. She added that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was not briefed in advance about the video but said lawmakers from both parties privately condemned Trump’s response. One notable exception, she said, was Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who did not comment even as the two were in the same room while the president’s posts circulated. Some Republicans quickly backed Trump, including Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), who said he initially assumed the video was a deepfake. “They’re saying violate your orders, don’t follow the chain of command,” Hawley said. “They’re giving you a one-way ticket to jail.” Slotkin defended the lawmakers’ message, saying it was prompted by “dozens” of complaints from service members uneasy about potential domestic operations and military strikes in the Caribbean. She said the intent was to reaffirm that their duty is to the Constitution and they should consult with the military code of justice. “It’s nothing new,” she said. She accused the president of trying to intimidate critics and distract from unrelated controversies, saying Trump “should button it up” and avoid incendiary language given his own past experience with political violence. Slotkin, a former CIA analyst who served three tours in Iraq, said the president’s attacks appeared designed to silence her. ACA Subsidies and a Looming Deadline Slotkin also addressed the future of Affordable Care Act subsidies, which are set to expire in a month. Trump this week called on Congress to scrap the extension and instead “send the money directly back to the people,” though he offered no details about how such a system would work. Slotkin questioned the feasibility of the proposal. “There’s not some big pot of money that’s just sitting around that’s free,” she said, adding that while the ACA is imperfect, repealing it without a viable replacement would be irresponsible. Asked whether Democrats might share blame if premiums spike absent a deal, Slotkin pushed back. She said Republicans created the current crisis with the passage of the “Big Beautiful Bill” on July 4, which she argued gutted Obamacare and Medicaid to finance tax cuts for wealthy Americans. Those cuts, she said, prompted hospitals and insurers to raise prices on remaining consumers. “I can’t say with a straight face that we’re in this mess because of both sides,” Slotkin said. “They massively cut health care to pay for a tax cut. They’ve got to live with the consequences.” Still, she said both parties should work on a bipartisan compromise to extend subsidies. Calls for a New Generational Democratic Leadership Slotkin, who never shied away from critiquing leadership during her House tenure, sidestepped direct criticism of Schumer’s future but said last month’s elections delivered a clear message: Americans are frustrated by soaring costs and ready for a new generation of political leaders. “The Senate of 30 years ago is not the Senate of today,” she said, arguing that the institution must adapt. “And it just isn’t functioning the way that sort of traditional, genteel, process-y body used to work. And we need to meet the moment and change with it.” She added that voters from Michigan to Kansas to Manhattan are demanding fresh voices. Asked whether she might seek a leadership role, Slotkin scoffed, citing the chamber’s seniority-based culture. “I’m a freshman,” she said. “Whether I like it or not, this is a place based on years in service. I don’t think that’s an ideal way of doing things, but it means I’m probably not at the top of anyone’s list for leader.”