Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) is sounding the alarm on President Donald Trump's plan to slap tariffs on generic prescription drugs, warning it could end up costing patients more at the pharmacy counter. Her alternative? Let Medicare flex its muscle and negotiate prices for all drugs.

Slotkin: Tariffs Are a Blunt Tool

In a post on X Monday, Slotkin didn't mince words: "President Trump's tariffs on generic drugs risk making prescriptions more expensive." She added, "If President Trump wanted to lower drug costs, we could do it tomorrow: let Medicare negotiate every drug price."

Slotkin also shared a video explaining that many generic drugs used in the U.S. are made overseas, so tariffs would directly raise costs on those imports. "What the president is proposing is to put a tariff on those generics so that they will be more expensive," she said. "That means if you go to your pharmacy and you get the drug that you always get and it's a generic, it will likely be more expensive when these tariffs are put on and you, the customer, will pay that price."

Medicare Negotiation as a Scalpel

Slotkin described the tariff approach as "using a sledgehammer instead of a scalpel," arguing it could backfire by raising costs rather than lowering them. She pushed for expanding Medicare's ability to negotiate drug prices, saying the government could use its massive purchasing power to secure better deals. "We should allow Medicare to negotiate every single drug price," she said. "Use their big bulk purchases to negotiate a better price with the prescription drug companies."

Trump's Two-Year Delay on Generic Drug Tariffs

Last week, President Trump announced that imported generic drugs would get a two-year reprieve before facing duties of up to 200%. The goal is to encourage pharmaceutical companies to move manufacturing back to the U.S. But with generics accounting for more than 90% of prescriptions filled in the country, according to the FDA, any price increase could hit a huge number of patients.

Scott Pushes for Faster Action on China

Meanwhile, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) is urging the Trump administration to raise tariffs on Chinese generic drug manufacturers even sooner, citing concerns over alleged forced labor and pharmaceutical safety. He's calling for stronger trade measures to protect American patients and hold companies accountable.