Trump Takes Aim At Lawrence, Lawrence Welcomes The Attention
(Source: MIRS.news, Published 09/10/2026) William Lawrence responded today to a dig from President Donald Trump that he’s a “self-described Marxist” who “hates family households” and “wants to destroy the American way of life." In responding, Lawrence sounded less like a candidate on the defensive and more like one celebrating the attention.
“Pretty cool, pretty cool," the Democratic nominee for Michigan's 7th Congressional District told supporters at the beginning of his speech. "Congratulations. We know we're doing something right when Donald Trump is calling us in his prime-time congressional speech.”
Lawrence said he knew his campaign had Trump’s attention because Trump and his ‘billionaire allies’ had already spent millions attacking him.”
“I think he might be a little upset that we're on track to beat his lackey (U.S. Rep.) Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) in November,” Lawrence said.
The President didn't directly say Lawrence's name, nor did he even mention the district. However, the National Republican Congressional Committee tweeted the video, tagging Lawrence.
Lawrence called Trump's characterizations “ridiculous” and “obviously upside down,” and spent much of the press conference responding separately to Trump's claims about his views on families and the American way of life.
Trump’s comments appear to stem from a CNN report last week highlighting old social media posts Lawrence later deleted. In one, Lawrence wrote: “Biggest W of my late 20s was finding a long-term stable co-op house. Fuck isolation and the nuclear family domicile.”
In another post on Twitter, now X, Lawrence wrote that “if you have your own home when you're single, you'll likely end up with a nuclear family home if you get married/have kids. And the nuclear family home is an isolating, individualistic, violent way of organizing society. I don't want to be part of that.”
He told The Detroit News that his comments on the nuclear family were in reference to affordable and flexible housing shortages.
"Our lack of affordable housing and our failure to invest in healthcare and education tears families apart," Lawrence told The News. “People are unable to live with their extended families, with their grandparents and parents, people they love, because the economy forces people apart for the sake of paying the bills.”
Meanwhile, during his press conference, Lawrence argued Trump and Barrett are the ones undermining the American way of life, pointing to the cost of health care and everyday goods, what he sees as cuts to safety-net programs and the economic and foreign-policy consequences of the war with Iran.
“Is your American dream nearer or farther away than it was two years ago?” Lawrence asked. “Are the prices lower like they promised, or are they higher? Is your healthcare cheaper or is it more expensive? Trump said he wouldn't start any new wars. Remember that?"
On families, Lawrence began simply: “Family is everything.”
He argued families are being pulled apart both by immigration policies and economically, pointing to a lack of affordable housing and health care, young adults unable to afford to live near their parents and grandparents, and parents spending tens of thousands of dollars on child care without relatives nearby to help.
“So thank you to Donald Trump for the opportunity to clarify my position on these issues,” Lawrence said. “When you're building your teeny tiny ballrooms, real leaders are making big plans for how families can have the good lives we deserve here in Mid-Michigan. Together, we here in this room, we're doing the messy work of politics.”
In other news, Lawrence released his first General Election TV ad today.
