Slotkin and Tlaib clash over Tlaib’s presence at terrorism-linked event

Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), who is running for U.S. Senate in Michigan, threw a subtle jab at fellow Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D) for attending a terror-linked conference, in a CNN interview.

The Michigan congresswoman hit at Tlaib in response to a question about her appearance at the conference, an event titled “People’s Conference for Palestine” that discussed armed resistance against Israel, saying her attendance is “a problem.”

“It was a bit of a shock, some of the things that were said by speakers at that conference, and I think some of the people who were celebrated, some of the things that they were talking about in terms of resistance, armed resistance, it was a shock to see it happen there,” Slotkin said.

“Obviously, not everyone said those kinds of things, but if you’re at a conference where those things are said, we have a problem. Frankly, some of the people connected there have deep roots to some really scary people in the Middle East and we’re thinking about how to approach that problem.”

Slotkin and Tlaib have shown a notable divide on the Israel-Hamas conflict, with the more centrist Democrats clashing with the progressive “Squad” member on foreign policy. Slotkin was one of 42 Democrats to vote for GOP-sponsored sanctions against the International Criminal Court over its arrest warrants for Israeli leaders. Tlaib voted against the measure.

In addition, Tlaib reposted a list of lawmakers who voted for the measure with the poster calling it, “shameful.” She also slammed the Biden administration official Antony Blinken for pretending “you care” about Israel’s escalation in Rafah.

The Washington Examiner contacted Slotkin and Tlaib’s office but did not receive a response.

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This is not the first time Slotkin has disagreed with Tlaib on Israel. She said, “It shouldn’t be hard to condemn terrorists and terrorism,” in a September 2023 interview after Tlaib issued a statement saying President Joe Biden should halt funding to Israel.

Michigan is expected to be a battleground state in the presidential election, and Slotkin is expected to be nominated in August to face former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI) in the state’s Senate race.