Democrat Gov. Whitmer publicly thanks Trump for Michigan's economic growth

President Donald Trump campaigned on a promise of revitalizing American jobs, and Michigan Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer acknowledged his role in recent economic developments during her 2026 State of the State address.

Whitmer publicly thanked Trump while speaking in the Michigan House of Representatives chamber at the state Capitol in Lansing on Wednesday.

Trump praised Whitmer, saying she had done an 'excellent job' and calling her 'a great person.'

“Michigan is open for business. New factories making batteries, cars, chips are opening in Marshall, Lake Orion, Holland, Bay City, Calumet, Hemlock, Ann Arbor, and Delta Township. A new fighter mission is coming to Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Macomb County,” Whitmer said.

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Photo by Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images

She added, “Probably not on the bingo card, but I want to thank President Trump for his work on this.”

Her remarks were met with applause from the chamber.

The public show of appreciation follows multiple reported meetings between Whitmer and Trump at the White House, where the two have discussed manufacturing investment, tariffs, and the Selfridge Air National Guard Base mission. During one Oval Office appearance, Trump praised Whitmer, saying she had done an “excellent job” and calling her “a great person.”

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One earlier White House visit drew national attention after Whitmer was photographed shielding her face from cameras. Her latest remarks in Lansing, however, marked a visible shift, as she openly credited the president during a high-profile statewide address.

The recent industrial expansion across Michigan, along with the Selfridge announcement, shows strong collaboration between the Democrat governor and the Republican president on key economic priorities.

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