LIVE: Elissa Slotkin, Bernie Sanders to respond to Trump's address
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s first joint congressional address of his second presidency will be delivered by Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin.
Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders will also live stream a response after Trump's remarks.
You can watch Slotkin's address in the media player above, and we'll stream Sanders' remarks in the YouTube player below:
Who is Elissa Slotkin?
What we know:
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.
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 9: Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) speaks at a press conference with other Democratic Senators on priorities for the 119th Congress in Washington, DC on January 9, 2025. (Photo by Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., attends the Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing of Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be defense secretary, in Dirksen building on Tuesday, January 14, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Ca
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 (DOGE) led by Elon Musk.
The backstory:
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.