During the first of two events marking his initial 100 days in office on Tuesday, President Donald Trump surprised Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a likely 2028 presidential contender, by unexpectedly calling her to the podium.
The 78-year-old president was addressing service members at Selfridge Air National Guard Base northeast of Detroit when he singled her out, according to video clips circulating online.
“I want to thank Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer,” the president began. “You know, I’m not supposed to do that. She’s a Democrat. They say, ‘don’t do that, don’t have her here.’ I said, ‘No, she’s going to be here… she’s done a very good job.’”
“For decades, they’ve been trying to save this facility,” Trump also said, “including your governor, who has done a very good job. She came to see me. That’s the reason she came to see me, by the way, to save Selfridge. She was very effective.”
Shortly thereafter, Trump then prompted Whitmer to come to the podium to say a few words, during which she appeared visibly uncomfortable.
“Well, I hadn’t planned to speak,” Whitmer began, “but on behalf of all the military men and women who serve our country — and serve so honorably on behalf of the state of Michigan — I am really damn happy we’re here to celebrate this recapitalization.”
It was the second awkward moment Whitmer has experienced near the president in recent weeks. Earlier this month, she hid her face behind a stack of binders rather than face photographers in the Oval Office as she waited to meet with Trump about the air base’s future.
After The New York Times published the photo of her hiding her face, an image that drew sharp criticism from fellow Democrats, Whitmer admitted she regretted ducking the cameras.
The governor then skipped Tuesday’s rally in Warren, about 20 miles north of Detroit.
Whitmer, 53, had been under consideration as Joe Biden’s running mate in 2020 but was ultimately passed over in favor of then–Sen. Kamala Harris of California, the New York Post reported.
Whitmer briefly resurfaced as a potential presidential contender after Biden ended his 2024 campaign, though the nomination ultimately went to Harris, who lost decisively to Trump on Election Day.
Michigan swung to Trump by over 80,000 votes last November, becoming one of three key “blue wall” states to flip Republican in 2024.
According to a governor’s office press release, Selfridge Air National Guard Base is home to more than 5,000 Air and Army National Guard personnel, contributing $850 million and supporting up to 30,000 jobs in Michigan.
Also, more than a dozen Democratic senators voted with Republicans on Monday to confirm President Donald Trump’s latest nominee, himself once a GOP member of the upper chamber.
The Senate confirmed David Perdue of Georgia to become Trump’s ambassador to China, an all-important post given the significance of trade and national security issues with the world’s second-largest economy. The vote was 64-27 in favor of cloture, which requires 60 votes.
In 2022, Trump backed Perdue in his attempt to primary incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp (R), but he wasn’t successful.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party is continuing to lose support among one of its key voter blocs, young people, according to a new survey.
Brett Cooper, who hosts “The Brett Cooper Show,” believes that many people of her generation believe that the Democratic Party no longer reflects their values.
“Democrats are completely out of touch with their voter base,” she said during an appearance on “Fox & Friends.”
