Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Trashes Trump Hours After He Called Her Onstage and Thanked Her
Every so often, President Donald Trump displays a level of graciousness that borders on the extraordinary. What else could explain his complimentary remarks toward one of the most heavy-handed governors of the pandemic era?
Predictably, the kindness wasn’t mutual.
During a televised conversation Tuesday with WWJ-TV’s Terrance Friday, Michigan’s Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer — widely regarded as one of the harshest leaders during the COVID-19 crisis — attacked Trump’s early presidential efforts as “scary” and “dangerous.” This criticism came despite Trump offering her public praise just hours earlier at an event where he even welcomed her to speak.
“Well, Terrance, there’s a lot there,” Whitmer commented during the interview. “And there’s a lot of stuff that’s happened in the last 100 days that is really scary, really concerning, and downright dangerous.”
To his credit, Trump had played a role in delivering defense-related support that benefits Michigan. That collaboration even prompted Whitmer’s recent trip to the White House. But, as reported by the Los Angeles Times, she quickly tried to reestablish distance afterward.
That same dance continued in Tuesday’s interview.
“I will say that his first stop today, though, in Michigan,” she explained, “was at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, and that’s where I joined him, because I’ve been working for years to try to get a new fighter mission at Selfridge. The A-10 is being retired, and we have a compelling case to make, but we were really, until recently, having difficulty trying to get the federal government to make the investment. So today’s announcement of 21 F-15EXes is a huge deal.”
The full exchange is available for viewing, with the relevant remarks starting at the 13-second mark.
To summarize: Whitmer described Trump as “scary” and “dangerous,” yet stood beside him after he helped secure something she had long pushed for.
That seems to be the extent of the calculus from her point of view.
Earlier in the day, Trump had gone out of his way to acknowledge Whitmer’s role.
“We worked along with Gretchen and some others,” he stated during his speech at Selfridge Air National Guard Base.
“So I want to thank Governor Gretchen Whitmer for bringing it also to our attention very strongly,” he said at another moment during the same speech.
Trump also brushed off criticism about cooperating with a Democrat and even praised Whitmer’s performance — at least with respect to this specific matter.
When Whitmer took the mic, she echoed the significance of the defense investment, calling it “crucial for the Michigan economy” and important for “homeland security.”
She ended with a remark directed at Trump: “I’m so, so grateful that this announcement was made today,” she said.
To be fair, Whitmer deserves some recognition for appearing publicly with the former president. It was a rare instance of political civility, albeit not exactly a moving one.
Still, Trump clearly extended more respect to her than he received in return. That dynamic may well reflect what many conservatives have come to recognize in recent years: a willingness on their part to engage respectfully with opponents, only to be met with hostility in return. It’s a pattern that has often left Trump supporters feeling alienated — even by longtime friends and relatives.
Regarding the defense project itself, governors from both parties routinely describe such investments as vital to national security, making Whitmer’s success here fairly routine. Nevertheless, Michiganders directly impacted by the Selfridge upgrade will likely be pleased she partnered with the Trump administration to deliver results.
In essence, Whitmer worked with Trump to gain a win for her state, then turned around and disparaged him. So be it. Her record during the pandemic remains what it is.
“When I took my oath of office, I took it very seriously,” she told Friday. “It meant sustaining threats during a pandemic when I thought I was doing the right thing to keep people safe.”
For her actions during the COVID crisis — and she’s not alone — Whitmer deserves to be held accountable.
But for now, even after Trump went out of his way to offer praise, she struggled to offer any true appreciation in return. His gesture was more gracious than many could have mustered.