In her latest weekly intelligence briefing, Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) delivered a sharp critique of the Trump administration’s economic and national security policies, while pushing forward on bipartisan reforms aimed at strengthening American democracy.
Slotkin opened with a blistering assessment of the administration’s use of tariffs to restore U.S. manufacturing. She noted that while President Trump promised “90 deals in 90 days,” the reality has fallen short — both in scope and in strategic benefit. One striking example she cited was that a car manufactured in Canada, using primarily American parts and labor, now faces a higher U.S. import tariff than a car made entirely in Japan. Worse still, Slotkin pointed out, “Canada is currently facing a higher tariff rate than China.”
The consequences, she argued, are already hitting consumers. Clothing, school supplies, and basic household goods are more expensive, and Michigan families will pay an estimated $2,000 more this year as a result. Meanwhile, the U.S. has lost 11,000 manufacturing jobs in July alone — marking the third consecutive month of sector-wide decline.
Turning to national security, Slotkin criticized the Trump administration’s decision to allow Nvidia to resume selling high-powered AI microchips to China. These chips, which far exceed the capabilities of those found in smartphones, are critical to future developments in military and surveillance technologies. “This is the equivalent of President Truman handing nuclear blueprints to the Soviet Union in the middle of the Cold War,” Slotkin said, warning that the move could supercharge China’s ambitions to dominate AI on the global stage.
She also raised concerns that American companies now face year-long wait times for the same chips that are being sold to China. The decision, Slotkin said, jeopardizes national security and technological leadership.
On the democracy front, the Michigan senator highlighted two major bipartisan initiatives. First is a bill to ban members of Congress, the president, and the vice president from trading stocks or cryptocurrencies — a measure prompted by past instances of lawmakers profiting from classified briefings. “We never want constituents to believe public service is a get-rich-quick scheme,” Slotkin said.
The second measure, which Slotkin co-sponsored, would impose a total ban on corporate PAC donations to federal elected officials. Noting that she is one of only six senators who refuses corporate PAC money, Slotkin urged her colleagues to follow suit: “It should be 100 out of 100.”
Slotkin, one of just six senators who refuses corporate PAC money, said the practice should end entirely. “It should be 100 out of 100,” she said.
Across all three topics—economics, national security, and political ethics—Slotkin positioned herself as a vocal watchdog, calling for smarter policy and cleaner governance.
