Michigan U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin gave the Democrat response to President Donald Trump’s speech before a joint session of Congress Tuesday night, calling for an end to tariffs and a strengthening of American democracy.
Slotkin, who was elected in 2024 to serve as one of Michigan’s U.S. senators, highlighted Democrat concerns with many of Trump’s policy focuses from his first month in office, stating that former President Ronald Reagan is “rolling in his grave” after Trump’s contentious meeting with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week.
“We all want an end to the war in Ukraine, but Reagan understood that true strength required America to combine our military and economic might with moral clarity,” Slotkin said. “That scene in the Oval Office wasn’t just a bad episode of reality TV, it summed up Trump’s whole approach to the world. He believes in cozying up to dictators like Vladimir Putin and kicking our friends like the Canadians in the teeth. He sees American leadership as nearly a series of real estate transactions.”
Slotkin criticized Trump’s economic policies, arguing they benefit the wealthy at the expense of the middle class. She added that, while Americans signaled in the last election a desire for real change, Trump is not giving that.
“We just went through another fraught election season. Americans made it clear that prices are too high and that the government needs to be more responsive to their needs,” Slotkin said. “America wants change, but there’s a responsible way to make change and a reckless way, and we can make that change without forgetting who we are as a country and as a democracy.”
Slotkin argued that American democracy itself is at risk under Trump.
“Our very system of government has been the aspiration of the world, and right now it’s at risk,” she said. “It’s at risk when the president decides you can pick and choose what rules you want to follow, when he ignores court orders and the Constitution itself . . . but it’s also at risk when the president pits Americans against each other, when he demonizes those who are different and tells certain people they shouldn’t be included.”
Tariffs and inflation were other focuses of Slotkin’s speech. She joined other Democrats and business leaders in sharing concerns about tariffs levied on Canada, China and Mexico this week.
“Tariffs on allies like Canada will raise prices on energy, lumber, and cars, and start a trade war that will hurt manufacturing,” she said. “If [Trump’s] not careful, he could walk us right into a recession.”
In a slight concession to Republicans, Slotkin did say that Democrats should agree with Trump’s goal of securing the border.
“Every country deserves to know who and what is coming across its border. Period. Democrats and Republicans should all be for that,” she said. “We need a functional system, keyed to the needs of our economy, that allows vetted people to come and work here legally. I look forward to the president’s plan on that.”
