Newly elected Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin gave the Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s address to Congress on Tuesday night in a speech blasting Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency and foreign policy as her party finds its way out of the political wilderness.
Slotkin’s brief address conveyed a theme of bipartisanship and competence to counter Trump’s speech, a lengthy address in which he emphasized his administration’s early accomplishments and initiatives during his first few weeks back in office. Trump spoke about a range of issues from economic policy and border security to the first assassination attempt against him in Butler, Pa., last year
Introducing herself, Slotkin said she was called to public service after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and spoke about her parents sharing values greater than their political differences. She talked about the need to protect the middle class and accused Trump of pursuing an economic agenda that benefits billionaires like himself.
“My dad was a lifelong Republican, my mom was a lifelong Democrat, but it was never a big deal because we had shared values that were bigger than any one party,” Slotkin said.
“We need to bring down the price of things we spend the most money on: groceries, housing, health care. We need to make more things in America with good-paying union jobs and bring our supply chains back home from places like China,” Slotkin continued, tapping into Trump’s populist appeal.
Like other Democrats, Slotkin focused on billionaire Elon Musk’s influence over the Trump administration and his hectic attempts to reduce the size of the federal government through the Department of Government Efficiency. Threading the needle on immigration, Slotkin briefly acknowledged the need to protect the southern border but said it would be insufficient without broader reforms to the immigration system.
“President Trump is trying to deliver an unprecedented giveaway to his billionaire friends. He’s on the hunt to find trillions of dollars to pass along to the wealthiest in America,” Slotkin said before attacking Trump’s tariff policy and spending plans.
“While we’re on the subject of Elon Musk, is there anyone in America who is comfortable with him and his gang of 20-year-olds using their own computer servers to poke through your tax returns, your health information, and your bank accounts?” Slotkin said, referring to DOGE’s attempts to access sensitive Treasury Department data.
“We need a more efficient government. You want to cut waste? I’ll help you do it. But change doesn’t need to be chaotic or make us less safe.”
Hitting Trump on foreign policy, Slotkin argued that Ronald Reagan would be rolling in his grave over Trump and Vice President JD Vance’s heated dispute with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about U.S. support for Ukraine and Trump’s attempt to end the conflict with Russia.
Slotkin is a former congresswoman, national security official, and CIA analyst who served three tours in Iraq. Her political career began when she flipped Michigan’s toss-up eighth district during the 2018 midterms after working in the Obama administration’s Department of Defense. Slotkin defeated former Representative Mike Rogers in November to win Michigan’s open Senate seat, even as President Trump won the toss-up state over former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) called Slotkin a rising star in the Democratic Party when making the announcement that she would deliver the rebuttal address. Her selection suggests that the Democratic leadership plans to take a more moderate approach to counteracting Trump, rather than digging into progressive identity politics and rabid partisanship.
“Elissa Slotkin has dedicated her life to defending our country, serving the American people, and fighting for Michigan,” Schumer said.
“As nothing short of a rising star in our party, Elissa has proven she can get things done: whether it’s fighting for lower costs, affordable healthcare, standing up for our economic and national security, or advocating for all families across Michigan.”
Seeking to carve out a moderate lane, Slotkin has criticized her party’s obsession with identity politics at the expense of its electoral prospects. A reliable Democratic vote during her House tenure, Slotkin has advocated messaging centered on people’s economic concerns and other kitchen-table issues.
On that front, Slotkin was one of several swing-state Democrats to join Senate Republicans in voting for the Laken Riley Act, a bill requiring federal agents to detain illegal immigrants accused of theft and related crimes. The legislation was the first bill Trump signed upon returning to the presidency and marked an early win for his immigration restrictionist agenda.