'Would Have Lost Us the Cold War': Slotkin Blasts Trump’s Foreign Policy in Response to Congress Address

Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., didn’t hold back in her critique of President Donald Trump’s foreign policy during her official Democratic response to his Tuesday address to Congress. Slotkin, a former CIA analyst, claimed that had Trump been president in the 1980s, the U.S. would have lost the Cold War. That’s a mic drop moment if there ever was one.

Trump’s speech, styled similarly to a State of the Union address, was packed with bold statements, including his declaration that "America is back" and that the "American dream is surging." But Slotkin wasn’t impressed. "Reagan understood that true strength required America to combine our military and economic might with moral clarity," she said, adding, "As a Cold War kid, I’m thankful it was Reagan and not Trump in office in the 1980s." Ouch.

Slotkin also criticized Trump’s handling of a recent exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The discussion, which involved Trump and Vice President JD Vance, reportedly turned tense as they debated diplomacy as a solution to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Trump and Vance accused Zelenskyy of lacking gratitude toward the U.S., stalling peace talks and a mineral trade deal between the two nations.

Interestingly, Trump announced during his address that Ukraine was now ready to return to the negotiating table and finalize the mineral agreement, which would give the U.S. access to Ukraine’s resources in exchange for continued American support. However, Slotkin didn’t mince words, suggesting that Reagan would be "rolling in his grave" after witnessing the "spectacle" between Trump and Zelenskyy in the Oval Office.

Slotkin’s sharp critique wasn’t limited to foreign policy. She also took aim at the administration’s federal workforce reduction efforts, which she described as chaotic and counterproductive. "The mindless firing of people who work to protect our nuclear weapons, keep our planes from crashing, and conduct the research that finds the cure for cancer — only to re-hire them two days later? No CEO in America could do that without being summarily fired," she said. That’s a pretty scathing performance review if you ask me.

Despite the pointed critiques, Slotkin did find common ground with Trump on the topic of border control. "Every country deserves to know who and what is coming across its border. Period," she said, calling for bipartisan cooperation on immigration reform. Trump, for his part, touted what he called the "most sweeping border and immigration crackdown in American history" and urged Congress to pass legislation for what he described as the "largest deportation operation in American history."

Slotkin ended her address on a classic note of civic engagement, urging Americans to hold their elected officials accountable. "Watch how they’re voting. Go to town halls and demand they take action," she said, calling it "as American as apple pie." Whether you agree with her or not, you’ve got to respect the call for involvement.