LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s first joint congressional address of his second presidency will be delivered by a freshman Michigan senator who built an extensive national security background before entering politics less than a decade ago.
Elissa Slotkin will deliver the Democratic rebuttal to Trump just two months into her tenure in the U.S. Senate, having narrowly defeated Republican Mike Rogers to win an open battleground seat — despite Trump carrying the state. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., praised Slotkin as “nothing short of a rising star in our party” when announcing her selection on Thursday.
The move comes as Democrats struggle to settle on a unified message against Trump, who has moved swiftly to implement his agenda in his second term while wielding vast executive power. Trump is set to outline his priorities for the year ahead during his address, which is scheduled for Tuesday at 9 p.m. Eastern time.
Slotkin is expected to focus on economic issues in her rebuttal amid Trump’s Monday announcement that 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada would begin Tuesday. The move has reignited fears of a North American trade war, which has already shown signs of driving up inflation and stalling growth.
Those close to Slotkin have suggested she plans to use the speech not just as a rebuttal to Trump, but as a chance to highlight Democrats’ broader platform. Known for her more moderate stance, Slotkin has not hesitated in the past to critique her party’s messaging when necessary.
“We didn’t do as good a job as we could have at showing what our priorities are,” Slotkin told The Associated Press after the November election. “Our priorities, in my mind, should start with people’s pocketbooks and their kids. And I think the message got muddled for a lot of people, certainly at the national level.”
Her team announced Monday that she would be joined at Trump's speech by Marine veteran Andrew Lennox, who recently spoke out after losing his job at a Veterans Affairs hospital in Ann Arbor due to cuts implemented by the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, led by billionaire Elon Musk.
The 48-year-old Slotkin, a former CIA analyst, is seen as a leading figure in the party’s next generation. She first ran for office in 2018, defeating a two-term incumbent Republican. After redistricting, she consistently won one of the nation’s most competitive House seats, earning a reputation as one of the party’s top fundraisers. In 2023, she announced a run for Michigan's open Senate seat after Sen. Debbie Stabenow announced she would not seek a fifth term.