Democrats Prepare to Counter Trump's Joint Address to Congress

Image credits: Al Drago/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Democratic leaders are preparing to counter President Trump's joint address to Congress, with a focus on kitchen-table issues and a united front against the president's agenda. The party has chosen Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan to deliver the official rebuttal, a sign of their desire to appeal to working-class voters. Slotkin is expected to use her rebuttal to communicate that Democrats are fighting to lower the cost of living and protect Social Security and Medicaid, while Republicans cut taxes for their billionaire donors and corporate interests.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has encouraged lawmakers to invite individuals who have been affected by Trump's moves, including job cuts and funding freezes, as guests to the joint address. The Democratic National Committee has also coordinated with the Democratic campaign committees and officials in states across the country to message against Trump and Republicans around the joint address. Some Democrats, such as Sen. Chris Murphy, have decided to boycott the speech, predicting it will be a "MAGA pep rally." Others, like former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, will participate in counter-programming events.

The Democratic messaging efforts will take place on television and social media around the speech, with a focus on how Trump's actions are negatively impacting people and falling short of promises he's made. The party is also eager to warn that Republicans could put Medicaid at risk in the upcoming budget fight. A leading Democratic super PAC is already planning to step up its attacks over the Trump administration's policy vision, with new ads warning of Medicaid cuts and featuring images of tech billionaire Elon Musk wielding a chainsaw.

Outside of Washington, one protest movement is hoping to provide voters with an outlet to channel their frustration. The 50501 movement, which describes itself as a nonpartisan effort, has chosen the date of Trump's joint address to Congress as its next rallying point. Online organizers have encouraged demonstrators to participate in "March 4th for Democracy," to "raise their voices on this significant occasion, amplifying concerns that impact everyday lives." Recent polling has found broad Democratic dissatisfaction with how congressional Democrats have handled their response to Trump so far, with nearly three-quarters of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents saying the party's caucus in Congress is doing too little to oppose Trump.

Potential showdowns over a March 14th government shutdown deadline and the Republican push for a major budget bill to enact Trump's sweeping agenda could emerge for Democrats in the coming weeks. The party is planning to make Medicaid cuts a key issue in the budget fight, with Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona planning to hold townhalls in rural parts of his state to detail how Medicaid cuts would "disproportionately affect" them. As the Democratic party prepares to respond to Trump's joint address, it remains to be seen how effective their messaging efforts will be in countering the president's agenda and appealing to working-class voters.