Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, D-Mich., greeted President Donald Trump on the tarmac Tuesday ahead of his speech to National Guard members in Michigan. The event marked their third meeting in less than a month. Whitmer also addressed the crowd, making it clear she wasn’t shying away from the spotlight.
"Well, I hadn’t planned to speak, 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," she said. Her tone was bipartisan, striking a contrast to past tension between her and the president.
Fox News co-host Judge Jeanine Pirro praised Whitmer’s appearance on “The Five.” "There are some Democrats who wouldn't be in the same room with Donald Trump," Pirro said. "I think that she did the right thing, and I think that wanting to work with the president to bring back manufacturing to Michigan is a smart move."
During the event, Trump announced a major military investment in the state. He unveiled plans to replace retiring A-10 Warthogs at Selfridge Air National Guard Base with 21 F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets. The move drew applause from both parties.
Trump credited Whitmer for her role in the decision. “She’s done a very good job, frankly,” he said. “And she was very much involved with, with the Republicans. They worked together on saving it. And it was not easy. So I want to thank you very much, Gretchen. Good job.”
Whitmer’s open appearance Tuesday stood in contrast to a recent viral moment. During a White House visit weeks earlier, she was criticized for covering her face with a folder. That photo turned into a meme online.
At the Detroit Economic Club, she poked fun at the incident. “I don’t want my picture taken, that’s all it was,” Whitmer said. “I kind of wished I hadn’t put my folder up in front of my face, but whatever. You know I was there … I just wrote a book about learning to laugh at yourself, so I’m pretty good at it.”
Her trip to Washington also reignited speculation about her 2028 presidential ambitions. She took a diplomatic tone, carefully criticizing Trump’s tariffs but agreeing on the need to boost American manufacturing. “We need to make more stuff in America,” she said.
Their recent meetings suggest a thaw in their working relationship. At an April 9 Oval Office signing, Trump called Whitmer “a very good person” and said she’d “done an excellent job” as governor. It was a noticeable shift from his earlier attacks.
Whitmer’s office said her presence at that event was unplanned and “not an endorsement.” Trump, however, framed the moment as bipartisan. “We’ll all stand there together and cut a ribbon. OK, Gretchen?” he joked.