Sen. Elissa Slotkin delivers Democratic rebuttal, criticizes Trump’s policies

Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) delivered the Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s address to Congress on Tuesday, criticizing his economic policies, immigration stance, and foreign policy approach while positioning her party as the responsible alternative to his leadership.

Slotkin, a moderate Democrat and former CIA analyst, used her rebuttal to advocate for bipartisan values and invoked former Republican President Ronald Reagan to contrast Trump’s policies with past conservative principles.

Economic Concerns and Criticism of Trump’s Policies
Slotkin focused heavily on economic issues, warning that Trump’s policies could push the US toward a recession.

“If he’s not careful, he could walk us right into a recession,” Slotkin said, criticizing Trump for rising costs and a lack of a credible plan to ease financial burdens.

She pointed to the fact that grocery and housing prices remain high, with some items, such as eggs, increasing in cost under Trump’s leadership.

“Do his plans actually help Americans get ahead? Not even close,” she said.

Acknowledging that voters prioritized the economy in the last election, Slotkin suggested that Democrats lost support because they failed to address economic concerns adequately. She pledged that her party would do better in the years ahead.

Immigration and Government Efficiency
Slotkin also addressed immigration, an area where Democrats have struggled in polling against Republicans.

“The border without actually fixing our broken immigration system is dealing with the symptom, not the disease. America is a nation of immigrants,” she said, accusing Trump’s administration of lacking empathy toward undocumented immigrants.

She also took aim at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a cost-cutting initiative led by Elon Musk, arguing that while reform is necessary, it should not create instability or reduce public safety.

Foreign Policy and Reagan Comparison
Slotkin was particularly critical of Trump’s handling of US foreign policy, citing his tense meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week, which led Trump to pause all US aid to Ukraine.

She invoked Reagan’s legacy, suggesting that the Republican Party of the past would have taken a different approach.

“After the spectacle that just took place in the Oval Office last week, Reagan must be rolling over in his grave,” she said.

Slotkin argued that true strength requires the US to combine military and economic power with moral clarity, a principle she said Reagan understood, but Trump does not uphold.

She also accused Trump of alienating America’s allies, stating:

“He believes in cozying up to dictators like Vladimir Putin and kicking our friends, like Canada, in the teeth.”

Slotkin’s background and democratic leadership’s choice
For many Americans, Tuesday night marked their first introduction to Slotkin, who was elected to the US Senate from Michigan in 2024.

A former CIA analyst fluent in Arabic and Swahili, Slotkin served three tours in Iraq and held national security positions under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. She later served in the Pentagon as acting assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs.

She was first elected to Congress in 2018, flipping a Republican-held House seat before winning the Senate race in 2024.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called Slotkin a “rising star” when announcing her selection to deliver the Democratic rebuttal, citing her expertise on economic and national security issues.

Democrats’ strategy moving forward

Slotkin’s measured tone contrasted with the more aggressive approach of some Democrats, who heckled Trump and walked out of his speech. Her selection to deliver the party’s response signals a strategic effort to appeal to moderate voters who may have supported Trump in November’s election.

She closed her remarks by urging Americans to reconsider the Democratic Party and trust them to govern responsibly.

“I promise that I, and my fellow Democrats, will do everything in our power to be the principled leaders that you deserve,” she said.