DETROIT—Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) bristled at the idea that her "economic patriotism" plan released Tuesday bore a resemblance to President Donald Trump's protectionist policies.
The 2020 presidential candidate published a proposal Tuesday with echoes of Trump's "America First" platform, attacking companies by name for outsourcing, and promoting exports and domestic manufacturing through U.S. currency value management. Trump has warned of the U.S. dollar becoming too strong and thus weakening the competitiveness of U.S. exports.
At a brief scrum in Detroit following her first campaign event in Michigan, Warren interrupted when asked if she felt the two political enemies resembled one another on the issue.
"No," she said. "No, I don't. I think that my plan is a real plan to build American jobs. My plan is not about how to help the biggest and most powerful corporations get even bigger and more powerful. This is about how we build a future in this country that doesn't work for just a thin slice at the top. It's about how we build a future for everyone."
Warren, who also unveiled a $2 trillion green manufacturing plan Tuesday, said she could envision a country without fossil fuels one day.
"This is part of our technological innovation," she said. "I'm betting on American science. I'm betting on American ingenuity, and I'm betting on American workers to get us to a point where we can fight back against climate change and save this planet for our children, our grandchildren, and our grandchildren's grandchildren. That's our job."
Warren said she hadn't seen Vice President Joe Biden's newly released climate plan. While Warren has enjoyed a small surge in polls in recent weeks, Biden still dominates the crowded field.
"Sorry, I've been traveling," Warren said. "I just haven't seen it."
The Michigan Democratic primary produced one of 2016's most surprising results, when Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) upset Hillary Clinton there. Clinton wound up becoming the first Democrat to lose the state in a general election since Michael Dukakis in 1988.