Slotkin slams Trump: Reagan values at stake, democracy threatened
Senator Elissa Slotkin sharply criticized President Donald Trump, claiming that his policies are contrary to Ronald Reagan's values.
According to the CNN, Senator Elissa Slotkin expressed her dissatisfaction with President Trump's policies in response to his address. In her speech, which served as the Democrats' response to Trump's address to Congress, Slotkin remarked that Ronald Reagan "must be rolling in his grave" following recent events in the Oval Office.
After the spectacle that just took place in the Oval Office last week, Reagan must be rolling over in his grave. We all want an end to the war in Ukraine, but Reagan understood that true strength required America to combine our military and economic might with moral clarity. And that scene in the Oval Office wasn’t just a bad episode of reality TV. It summed up Trump’s whole approach to the world, Slotkin said, as quoted by the PBS.
Slotkin accused Trump of having an inappropriate approach to foreign policy. According to her, the president is "cozying up to dictators" like Vladimir Putin while "kicking" allies such as Canada. The senator emphasized that Trump views American leadership as "a series of real estate deals," which, in her opinion, could have led to losing the Cold War had he been in power in the 1980s.
Slotkin also criticized Trump's economic policies, warning that his tariff decisions could lead to rising prices for food, homes, and energy. She expressed concerns that the president has no plan to counter these negative effects. Additionally, Slotkin mentioned threats to social benefits, citing Elon Musk's words, who described the social security system as a "biggest Ponzi scheme."
Threat to democracy
Senator Slotkin accused Trump of lacking respect for the constitution and the rule of law. She emphasized that his actions could threaten democracy, especially when the president ignores court rulings and the constitution. Slotkin pointed out that democracy is threatened when the president "incites Americans against each other" and "demonizes those who are different."
Our democracy, our very system of government, has been the aspiration of the world. And right now, it’s at risk. It’s at risk when a president decides he can pick and choose what rules he wants to follow, when he ignores court orders or the Constitution itself, or when elected leaders stand idly by and just let it happen, added Slotkin.
