Democrats warn of potential recession in response to Trump speech

First-term Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin accused US President Donald Trump of driving up costs while pushing for an "unprecedented giveaway to his billionaire friends" in today's Democratic response to his first joint congressional address of his second term.

Slotkin, just months into her first term in the US Senate after winning an open Michigan seat despite Trump carrying the state, said Trump "has not laid out a credible plan" to address rising everyday expenses for Americans. She said tariffs that went into effect today would only worsen the issue.

"For those keeping score, the national debt is going up, not down," Slotkin said. "And if he’s not careful, he could walk us right into a recession."

Slotkin spoke from Wyandotte, Michigan, a working-class community south of Detroit, after Trump delivered the longest address to Congress by a president in US history.

"It’s late," she began, "so I promise to be a lot shorter than what you just watched."

In his speech, which lasted an hour and 40 minutes, Trump claimed credit for "swift and unrelenting action" in reshaping the nation’s economy, immigration and foreign policy within his first weeks in office. The Republican-controlled House and Senate have done little to check the president’s agenda.

In her rebuttal, which lasted a little more than 10 minutes, Slotkin told Americans that "change doesn’t need to be chaotic or make us less safe".

Her remarks came as Democrats struggle to settle on a unified message to combat Trump. That struggle was on full display today as some Democratic members held placards in the House chamber with various messages. The most dramatic moment came when Texas Representative Al Green was escorted out after heckling the president.

Slotkin focused on economic issues after Trump’s announcement that 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada would begin today. The move has reignited fears of a North American trade war, which has already shown signs of driving up inflation and stalling growth.

Known for her more moderate politics, 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 said she was joined 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 Senator Debbie Stabenow announced she would not seek a fifth term.