Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, widely seen as a potential 2028 Democratic presidential nominee, partly backed President Trump’s tariff policies.

“I understand the motivation behind the tariffs. Here’s where president Trump and I do agree, we do need to make more stuff in America. More cars and chips. More steel and ships. We do need fair trade,” Whitmer said.

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From the New York Post:

While Whitmer — whose campaign efforts for Kamala Harris in 2024 included a cringe-inducing video of a “Dorito Communion” — said the tariff approach has to be “done right,” she also admitted under questioning from journalist Gretchen Carlson that “I haven’t really thought about” how her duties would be different from Trump’s.

“I don’t know how I would’ve enacted them differently,” the governor said. “I haven’t really thought about that. What I have thought about is that tariffs need to be used like a scalpel.”

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Trump’s all-encompassing reciprocal tariffs “couldn’t have come at a worse time,” Whitmer argued, citing inflation and higher costs of living.

“You can’t just pull out the tariff hammer and swing at every problem without a clear, defined end goal,” she said, pitching the solution as a bipartisan project spanning several presidential terms that brings “friends” together against our adversaries to bring manufacturing back to America.

ABC News reports:

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer delivered a speech emphasizing points of agreement with President Donald Trump on economic policy, just hours before their scheduled meeting — a reflection of the high-profile Democrat’s more diplomatic approach toward the president as her party ramps up its attacks on him.

Framed by Whitmer as a “blueprint for success,” her lengthy “Build, America, Build” address called for bipartisan cooperation to boost American manufacturing. While she offered soft criticism of the president, she also underscored shared priorities.

“I understand the motivation behind the tariffs, and I can tell you, here’s where President Trump and I do agree. We do need to make more stuff in America,” said Whitmer, before adding, “I’m not against tariffs outright, but it is a blunt tool. You can’t just pull out the tariff hammer to swing at every problem without a clear defined end-goal.”

The address, rescheduled from last week due to severe ice storms in northern Michigan, came ahead of her second one-on-one meeting with Trump in less than a month, in addition to a dinner at the White House where she sat next to him.

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