(Source: MIRS.news, Published 02/27/2025) U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly) will give the Democratic response to President Donald Trump's speech Tuesday to a joint session of Congress that is being treated as a State of the Union, even though it's not, technically, a State of the Union.
A freshman member of the U.S. Senate, Slotkin was announced on Thursday by U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).
“I'm looking forward to speaking directly to the American people next week,” Slotkin said. “The public expects leaders to level with them on what's actually happening in our country. From our economic security to our national security, we've got to chart a way forward that actually improves people's lives in the country we all love, and I'm looking forward to laying that out.”
Slotkin, 48, is a former three-term House member and former national security advisor from Holly. She participated in three tours in Iraq as a militia expert. A former national security advisor under President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama, Slotkin also ran a small consulting business out of Oakland County after leaving Washington, D.C., during Trump's first term.
Schumer called Slotkin “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,” Schumer wrote. “Elissa Slotkin has dedicated her life to defending our country, serving the American people, and fighting for Michigan.”
The speech will mark the second time in five years a political figure from Michigan will give the opposing party's response to the President's annual address to a joint session of Congress. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer gave a 10-minute response to Trump's State of the Union response in 2020.
Prior to that, five Michigan political figures had been involved in six previous responses as part of a larger group.
Then-U.S. Sen. Carl Levin was part of a Democratic panel of 12 members of Congress in 1984, according to the U.S. Senate. Then-U.S. Sen. Don Riegle was part of something similar in 1982. Then-U.S. Rep. Martha Griffiths did this in 1972. Then-U.S. Sen. Phil Hart was part of a similar 45-minute televised program with 10 of his Democratic colleagues in 1970. Then-U.S. House Minority Leader Gerald R. Ford was part of a televised news conference with the Senate minority leader at the time in both 1967 and 1966.
.png){kind=logo}
