Gov. Gretchen Whitmer can’t help but praise Trump for saving Air National Guard base in Michigan

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday gave a big “thank you” to President Trump for saving Selfridge Air National Guard Base.

The Democrats’ warm words were a reversal from her recent Oval Office visit when she held up a binder to hide her face from news media cameras.

On Tuesday, she was on hand as Mr. Trump announced the base in Macomb County would receive a new F-15EX Eagle II fighter mission with 21 aircraft, which the president said should “save this place.”

Ms. Whitmer said she didn’t plan to speak before Mr. Trump invited her to the podium at the event, but said she was “really damn happy we’re here to celebrate the recapitalization at Selfridge.”

“It’s crucial for the Michigan economy, it’s crucial for the men and women here, for our homeland security and our future,” she said. “So, thank you. I’m so, so grateful that this announcement was made today, and I appreciate the work.”

Mr. Trump made the announcement on his way to a rally in Macomb County, just north of Detroit, to mark the 100th day of his second term.

At the base, the president credited Ms. Whitmer with bringing the problems of the base to his attention. He also said that’s why she recently visited him at the White House when she had the awkward encounter with the press corps.

She was at the White House to discuss the base and aid for Michigan, but she was later brought into the Oval Office as Mr. Trump signed executive orders.

“For decades they’ve been trying to save this facility. I didn’t realize that. I thought it was just recently because I heard about it recently from some people, including your governor, who has done a very good job,” Mr. Trump said. “She came to see me — that’s the reason she came to see me, by the way, to save Selfridge — and she was very effective, along with some of the other politicians and some of the military people.”

He thanked her for “bringing it also to our attention very strongly.”

The president joked about her being a Democrat.

“You know I’m not supposed to do that. She’s a Democrat. They say, ‘Don’t do that, don’t have her here.’ I said, ‘No, she’s going to be here.’”

“She’s done a very good job, frankly, and she was very much involved with the Republicans. They worked together on saving it, and it was not easy,” Mr. Trump said.

Ms. Whitmer has visited Mr. Trump in the White House twice already, despite being a vocal advocate for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris during the 2024 campaign. The two have discussed the economy, jobs and tariffs during her visits, along with the base.