Sen. Elissa Slotkin Talks US Tariffs, Relationship with US

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Bloomberg Talks

Episode: Sen. Elissa Slotkin Talks US Tariffs, Relationship with US
Host: Oliver Crook (Bloomberg)
Guest: Senator Elissa Slotkin (Democrat, Michigan)
Date: February 13, 2026

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Episode Overview

Live from the Munich Security Conference, Bloomberg’s Oliver Crook sits down with Senator Elissa Slotkin to discuss the state of US foreign policy under the Trump administration, strain in transatlantic relations, recent US tariff policy—including bipartisan resistance—and Slotkin’s own experiences with political intimidation and domestic political maneuvering. The conversation candidly explores anxieties among European allies, the effect of “MAGA foreign policy,” and anticipation ahead of the US midterms.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. US Foreign Policy & America’s Global Reputation

Timestamps: 01:09–03:38

• Slotkin describes her presence in Munich as part of a congressional delegation aiming to reassure European allies that not all Americans agree with the current presidential administration’s approach, especially “kick your allies in the teeth and cozy up to your adversaries.”
• She emphasizes that the US is experiencing a political crisis keenly observed by international partners.
• European counterparts express disbelief and concern, asking in closed meetings: “what is going on in America?” (02:42)
• Slotkin:

  “I still believe that the American public does not want an authoritarian leader, want a king. Our whole country is based on that.” (02:54)

Notable Quote

• Slotkin: “It takes a long time to build trust and an instant to lose it… When you start acting erratically, when you act like a madman and no one knows what you’re going to do next, they can’t trust to make a deal with you.” (03:38)

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2. Trust, Alliance Management, and the Trump Effect

Timestamps: 03:15–04:49

• Crook asks if US stature has been permanently damaged. Slotkin reflects on alliance solidarity, her own family’s WWII legacy, and how recent US actions have “broken trust in a severe way.”
• The unpredictability of US actions (“acting like a madman”) has damaged credibility, especially after insults to coalition troops and erratic foreign policy choices.
• America’s need for allies and friends in a globalized world is emphasized.

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3. Pressuring Allies vs. Achieving Results

Timestamps: 04:28–05:24

• Crook notes that aggressive US tactics did prompt increased European spending on defense.
• Slotkin acknowledges this but dislikes the approach:

  “Unfortunately, the lesson that’s been taught is if you club your allies over the head, they will eventually give you something more. …That’s not the way we want to proceed.” (04:49)

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4. The China Challenge & Incoherent Trade/Tariff Policy

Timestamps: 05:24–06:15

• Focus turns to US-Europe cooperation on China—Slotkin sees “a ton of room” for teamwork but criticizes disarray in American China policy.
• As a Michigander and auto industry advocate, she’s baffled by current tariff policy:

  “We have more tariffs right now on Canada than we do on China. One day we’re all about buy America, the next day Donald Trump’s talking about letting in Chinese electric vehicles into the United States.” (05:49)

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5. Congressional Backlash on Trump Tariffs

Timestamps: 06:15–06:58

• Discussion of a House vote opposing tariffs on Canada, with bipartisan breakaway.
• Slotkin hails the vote as a significant opening for more challenges to Trump’s tariffs:

  “Bravery sometimes comes in millimeters. …Six Republicans…voted with Democrats to say the president’s sloppy tariff policy isn’t good and should be repealed…That opens the door…” (06:28)

• She sees this as Republicans eyeing the midterms, viewing Trump’s tariffs as a “boat anchor” on their campaigns.

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6. Domestic Politics & Public Mood Before Midterms

Timestamps: 06:58–07:28

• Slotkin asserts that economic promises remain unfulfilled:

  “He said he was going to do something about the economy. …Michigan has lost almost more jobs than any other state in the country. He just hasn’t lived up with the things that he campaigned on.” (07:06)

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7. Political Prosecutions & Intimidation Tactics

Timestamps: 07:28–08:59

• Slotkin discusses charges of “sedition” against her and fellow Democrats—a response to a video asserting military law.
• She alleges “weaponization” of the federal government, citing both legal and physical intimidation:

  “I had like a month long threats…bomb threats, my parents were went after…It’s legal intimidation, right? Make me pay lots and lots of money to have a lawyer and be in this legal limbo.” (08:29)

• The effect is to deter public dissent, silence adversaries, and send a chilling message to others.

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8. Bipartisan Responses & The Call for Courage

Timestamps: 08:59–09:31

• Slotkin notes tepid Republican support in defense of free speech, wishing more would follow.
• “I would never want that for them…Democrats could win again. I don’t want Democrats saying, oh, we should go after Republican senators for a 90 second video. I don’t want that for anybody.” (09:06)

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9. The MAGA Foreign Policy—Rhetoric and Outlook

Timestamps: 09:31–10:10

• On previous and upcoming speeches by Republican figures at Munich:
  • Slotkin expects Marco Rubio’s speech to “smooth the edges,” in stark contrast to JD Vance’s “MAGA” address last year that shocked many.

  “I remember sitting there listening to J.D. Vance’s speech last year just with shock and I don’t think we’re going to hear that.” (09:41)

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10. Greenland Policy Flip-Flop

Timestamps: 10:10–10:43

• Slotkin is puzzled about the administration’s abrupt reversal on the Greenland issue:

  “Your guess may be as good as mine….It’s really hard to predict what he’s going to do and say. So being friends with him, being an ally of his, is really, really difficult at this moment.” (10:26)

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Memorable Quotes

• On US Political Crisis:
  “We are having a real crisis in the United States. …But in the meantime, it’s only natural that you question what we’re doing, why we’re doing it and who it helps.” (01:53)
• On Authoritarianism:
  “Our whole country is based on [not wanting a king]. And there are certain barometers we have for authoritarianism. And we’re just, we’re going to come out of it.” (02:54)
• On Foreign Policy Unpredictability:
  “When you act like a madman and no one knows what you’re going to do next, they can’t trust to make a deal with you.” (03:38)
• On Tariff Policy:
  “Bravery sometimes comes in millimeters. …That opens the door to a bunch more votes on tariffs. That is a big deal. I’ll take it.” (06:28)
• On Intimidation:
  “You do that to the average person, they say, you know what, I’m just gonna go quiet. …And I’m just not going to do that because I know that he is trying to intimidate people to be quiet.” (08:29)

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Key Segment Timestamps

• America’s Reputation & Message to Europe: 01:09–03:38
• Tariffs, Trade Policy & House Vote: 05:24–06:58
• Domestic Political Turbulence & Political Intimidation: 07:28–09:31
• Expectations of MAGA Policy Messaging: 09:31–10:10
• On Greenland U-Turn: 10:10–10:43

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Takeaways

• Senator Slotkin provides a direct, candid view of divisiveness in US foreign policy and its ripple effects on alliances, especially with Europe.
• Despite bipartisan cracks, she sees glimmers of courage as some Republicans break with the president on tariffs and civil liberties.
• She warns of the threat posed by normalization of intimidation and authoritarian tactics in US politics.
• The episode captures the uncertainties both at home and abroad faced by America’s partners, as well as the magnitude of US political reverberations on the world stage.

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Transcript

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[Senator Elissa Slotkin]

Bloomberg Audio Studios podcasts Radio news.

[Oliver Crook]

Bloomberg's Oliver Crook now standing by with Senator Elissa Slotkin. The Democrat from Michigan has just arrived in Munich as part of a codel with some very important topics to discuss. Oliver, thanks for bringing us this conversation over to you. Absolutely, yeah. We're very pleased to be joined by Alyssa Slotkin, the Democratic Senator from Michigan. Today joining us from the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. I'd like to talk about foreign policy, America standing on the global stage. You know, I've been here for the last 12 months covering Europe. Ever since JD Vance's speech, it has been a conversation completely monopolized by the sort of MAGA foreign policy that is the America that Europe has got. There is another America. You are here as an emissary of that America. What does that America say to your European partner?

[Senator Elissa Slotkin]

Well, I think there's a lot of us who are here, certainly from the Senate and the House, to send the message that not everyone agrees with the approach that this president is taking. Right. That my president is taking, which is kick your allies in the teeth and cozy up to your adversaries. It's the opposite of what many of us were being, were taught and how we lived. And I think, you know, we wanted to send the message that the United States is going through something. We know it, you all know it, Europeans know it, everyone in the world knows that we are having a real crisis in the United States. And I do believe we're going to come through it. But in the meantime, it's only natural that you question what we're doing, why we're doing it and who it helps.

[Oliver Crook]

And so you've had a great deal of meetings already. You will have a great many more over the next couple of days. What have you. What are the questions that the Europeans are asking? What are they trying to, the minute.

[Senator Elissa Slotkin]

They get you in the room and close the door, they're just like, what is going on in America? Right. I mean, sort of not believing it themselves. And I think, again, I try to explain, it's not, it's not that anyone's missing it, what is happening and how I think we come out of it, which is like, I still believe that the American public does not want an authoritarian leader, want a king. Our whole country is based on that. And there are certain barometers we have for authoritarianism. And we're just, we're going to come out of it. It's just going to take a bite.

[Oliver Crook]

And on the other side of that fight, you know, obviously, Trump will not be president forever, even if for some of the people in this room that may feel that way. In what ways do you think that American stature on the global stage has been permanently damaged? Because I can tell you that over the last 12 months, the Europeans really wanted to take a sort of optimistic view of kind of how things could materialize. Then there was the Greenland episode. And it feels that a sort of moment of trust there has been broken in a severe way.

[Senator Elissa Slotkin]

Ye. Yeah. I think, look, I think it takes a long time to build trust and an instant to lose it. You know, I'm someone who, my father came on the beaches of Normandy with the American troops. Like, I believe deeply that America has a good role to play, that we are, you know, in a long term relationship with Europe, and that's to the benefit of all of us. But when you start acting erratically, when you act like a madman and no one knows what you're going to do next, they can't trust to make a deal with you, to sign up for something. You know, when you insult the soldiers of the countries that have been in coalition with us in Iraq and Afghanistan, places that I've served, you understand why people say, well, wait a minute, what did we do this for? And the United States needs friends. This is a globalized world. We need as many friends as we can have. And alienating our friends is actually bad for our national security.

[Oliver Crook]

There's another side of the Trump foreign policy that has actually been quite effective. And actually, if you Speak to some of the people in the room. They said that, yes, it's true, Europe has not been paying its way. And we should say that that's something that the United States has put pressure on since Obama, but it has never really delivered a change of this sort of very aggressive policy. Do you think that there is something to that, that you needed a sort of Trump level event in order to get that out of Europe?

[Senator Elissa Slotkin]

Well, look, I wish it wasn't done in the way it was done, but I used to come here as a Pentagon official and a CIA officer, come to Munich and say, please do more. Please invest more in your own defense. The Russians aren't just a threat to us, they're a threat to you. They're your neighbors. And we got the like. Well, it's nice to see you. Very diplomatic. And unfortunately, the lesson that's been taught is if you club your allies over the head, they will eventually give you something more. I don't that to be the lesson, but I have to admit that's, that's what's happened. I mean, Putin has helped too, but I think that's, that's not the way we want to proceed. We want people to pay their way.

[Oliver Crook]

And a place that potentially the Trump administration does need help from the Europeans is on this question of China, potentially a collective approach. There have been some high level meetings with critical raw materials that have been underway. Do you see a sort of scope for cooperation with the Europeans on the question of China? Do you think there's more sort of space that they could occupy sort of together with the United States?

[Senator Elissa Slotkin]

I think there is a ton of room for cooperation with the European Europeans vis a vis China. But we have to have our house in order in the United States on what we want out of China. And as someone who's from a car manufacturing state, every day I'm confused, right? We have more tariffs right now on Canada than we do on China. One day we're all about buy America, the next day Donald Trump's talking about letting in Chinese electric vehicles into the United States. So we got to get our house in order. And I understand why Europeans would be hedging on making a deal, even though that's absolutely in our best interest for both sides.

[Oliver Crook]

And on the question of tariffs, you had this vote in the House, bipartisan, basically saying that they were not in favor of these tariffs with Canada. How do you interpret that as a sort of referendum on Trump economic policy? And do you think it changes anything?

[Senator Elissa Slotkin]

It was a big deal. I mean, look, bravery Sometimes comes in millimeters. We had six Republicans who broke with their party and voted with Democrats to say the president's sloppy tariff policy isn't good and should be repealed and looked at. That opens the door to a bunch more votes on tariffs. That is a big deal. I'll take it. Right. Do I wish people were stronger and spoke up for their local state economies? Yeah. But will I take this? Yes. And it's definitely, I think people looking ahead to the midterms and saying he's a boat anchor. These tariffs certainly are a boat anchor for their reelection.

[Oliver Crook]

What do you think it tells us about what we can expect in the midterms? I know we're still some distance away.

[Senator Elissa Slotkin]

Yeah, I think, I think people are upset. They're upset because he said he was going to do something about the economy. He's focused more, much more on foreign policy. He said he was going to bring back jobs. Michigan has lost almost more jobs than any other state in the country. He just hasn't lived up with the things that he campaigned on and has been focused abroad. And I think that people want to know what he's going to do for them and their lives. And he's just not made that his priority.

[Oliver Crook]

And I also wanted to talk about the sort of things more squarely on the domestic side. The indictment that was attempted against you and a number of fellow Democrats that they've obviously elected not to move forward on. Just your reaction to that. Do you consider the matter to be closed at this stage?

[Senator Elissa Slotkin]

I don't think anyone considers it closed. And we're already hearing rumors that they're going to try again to indict us for I guess sedition. And just to review the bidding, it's a 90 second video that just recently state's current military law that you have a responsibility to refuse illegal orders. All of us are service or veteran folks. We all served in some capacity. And I think, you know, the president is weaponizing the federal government against his perceived adversaries. It's right out of an authoritarian playbook. Many Europeans understand that better than most Americans. And I think this is where we've come to in the United States. And if they can do it to a sitting senator, what can they do to a business leader, a community leader?

[Oliver Crook]

Is that where you see the sort of next, the next line of that sort of progress? Or is it a flood the zone tactic? Or do you consider something much more.

[Senator Elissa Slotkin]

No, I think intimidation is the point. It's physical intimidation. I had like a month long threats, you know, to my Home bomb threats, my parents were went after. And then it's legal intimidation, right? Make me pay lots and lots of money to have a lawyer and be in this legal, legal limbo. You do that to the average person, they say, you know what, I'm just gonna go quiet. I'm not gonna speak up anymore. I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna shout from the rooftop. And I'm just not going to do that because I know that he is trying to intimidate people to be quiet.

[Oliver Crook]

And you've had some sort of words of support from a number of Republicans, perhaps not actions of support. How do you interpret that? Is there more? Do you think that needs to be done?

[Senator Elissa Slotkin]

Yeah, again, five or six Republicans said I think the right thing, which is, look, you can't go after someone out of their freedom of speech even if they didn't agree with the video. And I would never want that for them. You know, the tide can turn. Democrats could win again. I don't want to Democrats saying, oh, we should go after Republican senators for a 90 second video. I don't want that for anybody. So I appreciate those who stood up. I would like there to be more joining them.

[Oliver Crook]

And just a sort of final question for you. We obviously had the speech 12 months ago from JD Vance that kicked off the sort of MAGA foreign policy that crystallized for the year. What do you expect to hear from Marco Rubio tomorrow?

[Senator Elissa Slotkin]

You know, my sense is they have brought in Marco Rubio to kind of smooth the edges. Vance is not here. A lot of the hardcore folks, you know, Pete Hegseth isn't here. They brought in the diplomat to try and explain what the MAGA foreign policy is in terms that, you know, foreign policy people understand. So I'm not expecting fireworks the way we, I mean, I remember sitting there listening to J.D. vance's speech last year just with shock and I don't think we're going to hear that.

[Oliver Crook]

And just actually one more final question. In terms of the sort of U turn that we did see on Greenland, obviously it's an issue that doesn't have a huge amount of domestic support, does not have a huge amount of support among even in the government of the United States, certainly not among allies. What do you think really prompted that U turn? What was the thing that really made Trump sort of change his mind?

[Senator Elissa Slotkin]

And you know, your guess may be as good as mine. I don't understand what affects him and in the dark of night how he decides. And that's, I think part of it. Right. It's really hard to predict what he's going to do and say. So being friends with him, being an ally of his, is really, really difficult at this moment. It's why we're here.

[Oliver Crook]

Well, Alyssa Slotkin, thank you so much for your time. Greatly appreciate it. From the great state of Michigan, the senator there today from the Munich Security Conference.

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