Senate Nominees Debate Tariffs and AI in Detroit Forum

U.S. Senate nominees Mike Rogers and Abdul El-Sayed debated the future of American trade and technology during a Detroit Economic Club forum on October 20, 2026. While both candidates acknowledged the utility of tariffs and the need for artificial intelligence guardrails, they proposed fundamentally different implementation strategies.

Rogers praised certain tariffs for reversing decades of poor trade policy and returning manufacturing to the United States. However, he argued that tariffs on Canada should end to protect the integrated automotive industry. El-Sayed characterized the tariff approach of Donald Trump as "chaotic" and "ham-fisted," suggesting instead a targeted industrial policy to develop a domestic $25,000 electric vehicle market to challenge China.

On the issue of AI, Rogers advocated for a national security framework and a narrow anti-trust exemption to facilitate corporate cooperation on safety. El-Sayed warned of potential bio-weapons and massive job losses, proposing the creation of a regulatory agency similar to the FDA or SEC. He further suggested restructuring AI corporations as public interest entities with 50% government ownership and democratically appointed boards.