Michigan Democratic Gov. Whitmer strays from her party in moving closer to Trump

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer delivered a speech emphasizing points of agreement with President Donald Trump on economic policy, just hours before their scheduled meeting — a reflection of the high-profile Democrat’s more diplomatic approach toward the president as her party ramps up its attacks on him.

Framed by Whitmer as a “blueprint for success,” her lengthy “Build, America, Build” address called for bipartisan cooperation to boost American manufacturing. While she offered soft criticism of the president, she also underscored shared priorities.

“I understand the motivation behind the tariffs, and I can tell you, here’s where President Trump and I do agree. We do need to make more stuff in America,” said Whitmer, before adding, “I’m not against tariffs outright, but it is a blunt tool. You can’t just pull out the tariff hammer to swing at every problem without a clear defined end-goal.”

The address, rescheduled from last week due to severe ice storms in northern Michigan, came ahead of her second one-on-one meeting with Trump in less than a month, in addition to a dinner at the White House where she sat next to him.

Wednesday’s meeting follows Trump’s announcement of new tariffs expected to disproportionately affect Michigan, whose economy is closely tied to an auto industry reliant on trade with Canada, Mexico and other countries. She added that she would also be meeting with members of Trump's Cabinet, and she planned to discuss the impact of tariffs.

Once one of Trump’s most vocal critics during his first term and the campaign trail last year, Whitmer has adopted a more measured tone toward the president since his reelection, delivering multiple speeches in which she has called for finding “common ground.”

“If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu,” Whitmer said during a discussion after her speech. “My oath to the people of Michigan is to continue to show up, even when it means I’m going to get my lunch handed to me.”

Whitmer’s approach stands in sharp contrast to that of other high-profile Democratic governors, many of whom — like her — are seen as potential contenders for the party’s 2028 presidential nomination.

Colorado's Democratic Gov. Jared Polis directly responded to Whitmer's speech Wednesday, saying the “tariff hammer” Whitmer referred to “winds up hitting your own hand rather than the nail.”

“Tariffs are bad outright because they lead to higher prices and destroy American manufacturing,” Polis said on social media.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has remained a leading voice of state-level opposition to Trump, sharply criticizing the new tariffs this week. Meanwhile, California Gov. Gavin Newsom appealed directly to international partners, urging them to spare his state from retaliatory measures and declaring, “California is not Washington, D.C.”

Whitmer faces a more challenging political landscape than either Pritzker or Newsom, with a divided state legislature and a state that went for Trump in two of the last three elections. But even Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, the Democratic governor of a state that voted for Trump in 2024, has taken a more critical approach toward Trump, telling reporters Tuesday that Trump is “looking to screw over our farmers” with tariffs.

Whitmer's balance was seen in her address Wednesday and the conversation with former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson afterward. She agreed with Trump on the need to build more in America, but made it clear that she disagrees with his approach to tariffs, emphasizing that such a shift “doesn’t happen overnight.”

“There’s not a shortcut here. Strategic reindustrialization must be a bipartisan project that spans multiple presidential administrations,” Whitmer said in her address. “We need to be strategic about tariffs on the technology we actually want to make in America.”

Whitmer — who has less than two years left in office because of term limits — has spent much of this year traveling outside Michigan on international trade trips and visits to Washington, D.C., and other states, following a 2024 in which she dedicated considerable time campaigning for fellow Democrats.

Despite this, she reiterated on Wednesday that she is not signaling a run for president in 2028, though her speech is unlikely to quiet the speculation.

“This year and in the years to come — no matter who’s in the White House — we need to be betting on American workers. We need to bring chip manufactures back home. Let’s dominate the seas and the skies and the roads. Let’s innovate and let’s build,” Whitmer said in closing.