Whitmer Expresses Conditional Backing for Tariffs, Garnering Trump’s Approval

April 10, 2025 TruthUSA

The Michigan Democrat conferred with the president at the White House.

On April 9, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer expressed limited support for tariffs, subsequently meeting with President Donald Trump and receiving accolades from the commander-in-chief.

“I recognize the rationale behind the tariffs, and this is where President Trump and I align—we need to produce more goods in America,” Whitmer remarked to an audience in Washington.

She later referred to tariffs as “a blunt tool,” but emphasized that the U.S. should “implement tariffs on the technologies we truly want to manufacture here or in sectors where we already hold a significant competitive edge.”

Whitmer also pointed out that tariffs are negatively affecting Michigan, especially its automotive industry.

Trump has enacted reciprocal tariffs on numerous countries. On Wednesday, he announced a 90-day pause on the reciprocal tariffs that took effect that day, while increasing rates for China. Other tariffs remain enforced.

The president has stated that tariffs serve as a strategy to attract and retain business within the United States.

Following the speech, Whitmer visited the White House, where she was present in the Oval Office after meeting with Trump while he signed executive orders, including two that initiated investigations into former governmental figures.

“We’re honored to welcome Gretchen Whitmer from Michigan, the great State of Michigan, and she’s been, she’s really done an excellent job, a very good person,” Trump stated.

A representative for Whitmer informed media that she was taken aback by being “invited into the Oval Office” for the signings, during which Trump made remarks. “Her presence does not signify an endorsement of the actions taken or comments made at that event,” the representative clarified.

During Trump’s first term, he and Whitmer frequently exchanged criticisms.

Trump conveyed to reporters that he and Whitmer addressed Asian carp and how the invasive species has affected the Great Lakes, in addition to discussing how to keep Selfridge Air National Guard Base “thriving.” State House of Representatives Speaker Matt Hall, a Republican, was also in attendance.

Whitmer’s outreach, especially as a possible 2028 presidential candidate who faces term limits preventing her from a third gubernatorial term, stands in stark contrast to other Democratic governors, who have largely refrained from interaction with Trump apart from filing lawsuits against his policies.

“If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu,” Whitmer told Gretchen Carlson, a former Fox News anchor, in a conversation after the speech. “My vow to the people of Michigan is to persist in showing up, even when it implies I’m going to face a tough situation.”

Commenting on Whitmer’s portrayal of tariffs as “the tariff hammer,” Colorado Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat, noted on the social media platform X post-speech that the hammer “often ends up striking your own hand rather than the nail.”

He further remarked: “Tariffs are outright harmful as they lead to inflated prices and undermine American manufacturing. Trade is inherently beneficial because both parties gain from a consensual exchange.”

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