Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) warned that the shrinking American middle class threatens the ability of workers to get ahead and could fundamentally change what freedom means for future generations.
Slotkin Warns of Middle-Class Squeeze
On Monday, in a post on X accompanying the clip, Slotkin wrote, "The root of so many of the problems we’re facing is the shrinking middle class."
"Americans are working 40 hours a week, playing by the rules, and not getting ahead," she added.
She further said, "If we do not reverse that, what it means to be an American is fundamentally different. We won’t have what I call true freedom. And I refuse to let that happen."
Economic Security Threatens Future Generations
In the video clip, Slotkin described the issue as an "existential threat" to the country.
Drawing on her experience as a former CIA analyst who worked alongside the military, she distinguished the economic challenge from traditional security concerns.
"It’s not the threat from terrorism or a nation state," she said.
She added, "It is the fact that for the first time since World War II, the middle class is shrinking."
Slotkin then described a full-time worker who has a job and follows the rules but still cannot improve their circumstances.
"What does it mean to wake up in America and say, I’m working 40 hours a week, I have a job, I’m playing by the rules, I’m doing everything right, but I cannot get ahead?" she said.
The root of so many of the problems we're facing is the shrinking middle class. Americans are working 40 hours a week, playing by the rules, and not getting ahead. If we do not reverse that, what it means to be an American is fundamentally different. We won't have what I call… pic.twitter.com/Fl2faBKFVZ
— Elissa Slotkin (@ElissaSlotkin) August 18, 2026
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US Middle Class Faces Growing Financial Pressure
Earlier, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said the U.S. economy was moving in a "pretty good direction" but acknowledged that high costs continued to pressure middle- and working-class families.
Investor Steve Eisman and Evercore analyst Greg Melich warned that financial pressure was spreading into the middle class.
Melich said "the middle" was now "limping" as higher fuel costs quickly absorbed strong tax refunds.
The economy is increasingly divided by income, with wealthy Americans sustaining strong luxury spending while middle- and lower-income households stretch budgets.
Navy Federal Credit Union Chief Economist Heather Long called it an "E-shaped" economy, with the top 20% thriving while others struggle.
Despite the financial pressures, prediction markets put the odds of a U.S. recession by the end of 2026 at only 12%.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Read Also: People Making Nearly $300K Are Still Considered Middle Class in These U.S. Cities, Report Says
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
