Bridget Brink, who resigned earlier this year as the US Ambassador to Ukraine in protest of President Donald Trump’s Ukraine policy, has announced her candidacy for the 2026 congressional election in Michigan’s 7th District.

M Live says Bridget Brink announced on 18 June that she is running as a Democrat for Michigan’s 7th Congressional District in the upcoming 2026 election. 

In her announcement, Brink said:

“I’ve dedicated my life to public service, making the hard calls, tackling the toughest problems and holding the powerful accountable. And right now, our rights, our freedoms, our very democracy is at stake.”

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Criticism of Trump’s Ukraine-Russia policies

In an op-ed published earlier, Brink voiced strong disapproval of Trump’s foreign policy.

“Unfortunately, President Trump keeps pressuring our democratic ally, Ukraine, rather than the aggressor, Russia,” she stated. “Appeasing a dictator never has, and never will, achieve a lasting peace. And it’s just not who we are.”

Ex-ambassador Brink says she quit over Trump’s Ukraine policy, calls it dangerous appeasement

From diplomacy to US politics

Brink was appointed as Ambassador to Ukraine by President Joe Biden in early 2022. Prior to that, she served as US Ambassador to Slovakia starting in 2019. Her career with the US Department of State began in 1996 and spanned various foreign policy roles in eastern European and western Asian countries.

The seat Brink is seeking is currently held by Republican Rep. Tom Barrett of Charlotte, who won it in 2024 by defeating former Democratic state Senator Curtis Hertel, Jr. with 50.28% of the vote to 46.56%.