Gretchen Whitmer became governor after promising to ‘fix the damn roads’ in Michigan.
Whether she goes any further depends on how well she can navigate some of the early bumps surfacing as she positions herself for a possible White House bid.
On Wednesday, during a trip to Washington, D.C., which highlighted her prospects for 2028, Whitmer encountered what many Democrats considered two significant potholes.
First, in a policy speech outlining a ‘consistent national strategy,’ Whitmer staked out common ground with President Donald Trump.
Although she criticized Trump’s erratic rollout of tariffs and his subsequent retreat from them, she stated that she was not against tariffs ‘outright’ and expressed understanding of Trump’s ‘motivation’ for using them.
This drew a backlash from Colorado’s Democratic governor, Jared Polis, on social media.
‘Western Governors do NOT agree,’ Polis wrote on X.
‘Tariffs are bad outright because they lead to higher prices and destroy American manufacturing.
Trade is inherently good because both parties emerge better off from a consensual transaction.’
Later that day, Whitmer found herself standing beside Trump in the Oval Office.
She had been scheduled to meet privately with him to discuss Michigan issues, but the situation escalated unexpectedly.
Instead of focusing solely on state matters, she was a part of an impromptu media event where Trump signed several executive orders, including two targeting officials from his first administration and repeating his false claims about the 2020 election being stolen.
Photos showed Whitmer standing uncomfortably against a door as reporters questioned Trump.
‘She’s really done an excellent job,’ Trump remarked about Whitmer during the press availability.
‘Very good person.’
Though Trump eventually engaged her on matters she intended to discuss, the optics of being present for what many perceived as a bipartisan photo opportunity took place amidst him making controversial statements targeting political opponents, angering and confusing her allies within the party.
‘A just a f—ing disaster,’ remarked a Democratic operative who admires Whitmer and spoke anonymously to express candid thoughts.
‘It feels like it removes some of the momentum she had as a politically savvy swing-state Dem.’
In response to the fallout, Whitmer’s team swiftly worked to manage the criticism rising from within her party.
‘Governor Whitmer was surprised that she was brought into the Oval Office during President Trump’s press conference without any prior notice of the subject matter,’ a spokesperson for Whitmer commented.
‘Her presence is not an endorsement of the actions taken or statements made at that event.’
Democrats have long regarded Whitmer as one of their most formidable leaders—a two-term governor of a battleground state who won re-election by a large margin and was nearly considered for Joe Biden’s running mate in 2020 after raising her public profile significantly during the COVID pandemic.
Whitmer is among a select group of prominent Democratic governors seen as potential contenders for the presidency in 2028.
However, in contrast to some of her peers, Whitmer has sought a stronger working relationship with Trump during his second term in office.
Trump won her state in the previous election, and Whitmer perceives herself as a center-left moderate capable of appealing to a middle-of-the-road, Midwestern electorate that is receptive to some of Trump’s messages, particularly regarding manufacturing and tariff policy.
During her speech in Washington on Wednesday, Whitmer called for reducing bureaucratic red tape and increasing domestic production.
Furthermore, she criticized ‘partisanship,’ stating it has seemingly ‘infected every aspect of our lives, and it’s exhausting.’
‘Let’s give more hard-working people a fair shot at a decent life,’ she urged.
‘And let’s usher in, as President Trump says, a ‘Golden Age’ of American manufacturing.’
While she did diverge from Trump on the topic of the significant tariffs he had announced last week, which he later partially paused, Whitmer characterized them as a ‘triple whammy: higher costs, fewer jobs, and more uncertainty.’
‘I understand the motivation behind the tariffs,’ she stated, ‘and I can tell you where President Trump and I do agree: we need to make more stuff in America—more cars and chips, more steel and ships.
We do need fair trade.’
Her position on tariffs positions her in contrast with other potential Democratic presidential hopefuls, such as Polis and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, who criticized Trump’s ‘wrongheaded’ tariff policies in speeches on the same day.
During a Q&A session with journalist Gretchen Carlson after her address, Whitmer acknowledged the frustration among many Democrats who oppose collaboration with Trump.
However, she defended her need for cooperation, stating, ‘I took an oath to the people of Michigan to try to get as much done for the state.’
Whitmer confessed she hadn’t ‘thought through’ a different approach to handling tariffs than Trump had suggested, mentioning they should be utilized like a ‘scalpel.’
A national Democratic strategist expressed concern: ‘It is a massive indictment on Whitmer and her team’s judgment not to have an answer on the tariff question and to go to the White House, ultimately becoming part of an event where Trump signed his revenge orders while promoting his falsehoods about the 2020 election.’
Regarding tariffs, Whitmer’s spokesperson focused on her areas of disagreement with Trump rather than the areas of consensus.
‘This morning, the governor delivered a speech in Washington, D.C., about the devastating effects tariffs are having on Michiganders—from companies increasing prices and laying off workers to retirement accounts being wiped out,’ the spokesperson noted.
‘In the afternoon, the 90-day pause was announced, and that is a step in the right direction that will provide relief to many businesses across the state, but we still have concerns about tariffs that will hurt American auto companies.’
Whitmer and Hall were originally expected to discuss federal investments at Michigan’s Selfridge Air National Guard Base, a recent destructive ice storm in the state, and developing a plan to address invasive Asian carp in Lake Michigan.
Whitmer’s team and allies characterized the meetings as productive regarding these important matters.
‘Governor Whitmer thanks President Trump for his acknowledgment regarding the protection of the Great Lakes from invasive carp, his efforts on Selfridge, and his openness to our requests for assistance in northern Michigan,’ stated the spokesperson.
A Democratic official who previously worked with Whitmer highlighted her ability to negotiate with Trump, suggesting she is adept at advocating for her state.
‘And President Trump clearly listens to what she says and what she does,’ this individual stated.
‘You saw that today regarding tariffs, alongside the progress they made on Selfridge and the other issues she brought to discuss.’
Whitmer’s day also revealed political nuance.
Her visit to the Oval Office did not only frustrate Democrats; many Republicans criticized it as an undue reinforcement for a leader they have long sought to portray negatively within a critical electoral battleground.
‘A Trump endorsement just f—ed Republicans in Michigan by saying Whitmer is doing an excellent job,’ a Michigan Republican strategist texted.
‘I mean, WTF, she is running to replace him in 2028.’
The emerging relationship between Trump and Whitmer—evidenced by their meeting, which was the second in less than two months—would have been deemed unthinkable not long ago.
Whitmer wrote about Trump in her political memoir from the previous year, noting that their long-standing feud accounted for much of the first chapter: ‘Do Not Let the Bullies Get You Down.’
She recounted how Trump responded to her public criticism during the early pandemic days by disparaging her as ‘that woman from Michigan.’
Whitmer and her staff embraced this insult, which morphed into a common feature of progressive merchandising.
‘That’s the secret to dealing with bullies: You take their weapon and make it your shield,’ Whitmer articulated.
‘Every time Trump gave me a nickname, I made it my own.’
Observers reported mixed feelings after her Oval Office appearance on Wednesday.
‘Whitmer hurt her candidacy today,’ a Democratic strategist reflected.
‘She looked and sounded nervous in the Oval Office.
That image will stick, just like Trump praising her while signing executive orders targeting his critics.’
Another Democratic operative with experience working alongside Whitmer termed her speech as an ‘opening salvo’ for a presidential campaign.
‘There’s this kind of absolutism among Democrats wherein you’re either all against him, or you’re not against him enough, right?’ they remarked.
‘And I think if you are a Midwestern governor, there certainly are appropriate times to support tariffs.’
Despite being taken aback by Polis’s criticism following her address, they suggested it showcased the heightened political stakes as 2028 approaches.
Yet the operative found the Oval Office appearance perplexing.
‘It overall seemed not great,’ they concluded.
‘The picture of her standing in the corner looking uncomfortable.
The odd banter.
The whole thing didn’t make a lot of sense.
Why did it happen?
Whose idea was that?’
Nevertheless, the operative conceded Whitmer could highlight tangible results from her visit to Michiganders.
But the narrative surrounding her visit on a national scale will likely differ significantly.
‘Sure, overall, a successful visit, right?’ the operative added, referencing the local issues she attended to discuss—before shifting focus to the executive order spectacle.
‘It felt like, holy s—, what just happened?’
image source from：https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/disaster-gretchen-whitmers-talk-tariffs-meeting-trump-anger-fellow-dem-rcna200530
