A Democrat governor tipped to run for president appeared alongside Donald Trump in what was branded a “f—ing disastrous” meeting by party insiders.
Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan said she was “surprised” after being invited into the Oval Office press conference, having originally intended to discuss with the president in private how tariffs would disproportionately affect the state she represents.
The meeting between Ms Whitmer, a leading Democratic figure, and Mr Trump came just hours after she loudly and publicly split with the Democrats on tariffs and signalled she would be willing to work with the president to help Michigan.
She was showered with praise by Mr Trump throughout the televised signing of executive orders, who described her as a “very good person”.
”We’re honoured to have Gretchen Whitmer from Michigan, the great state of Michigan — she’s really done an excellent job,” he said, although repeatedly failing to engage with any of the issues she had come to discuss.
The pair did engage in conversation about the Asian Carp, however, as Mr Trump signed an executive order relating to the invasive fish species which is wreaking havoc in Lake Michigan.
Throughout the signing, which also included a decree to “make showers great again,” Mr Trump repeated his false claim that the 2020 election was rigged.
Ms Whitmer stood just feet from his desk as he also called for two justice department probes into two of his critics.
Her office later issued a statement insisting that “her presence is not an endorsement of the actions taken or statements made at that event”.
Democrats said she had been “played” by the Trump administration, with others casting doubts over her chances now of winning the Democratic nomination in 2028.
Gretchen Whitmer was seen as a potential Democrat nominee for the US presidency – Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
“Just a f—–g disaster,” a Democratic staffer who admires Ms Whitmer told NBC News. “It feels like it removes some of the momentum she had as a politically savvy swing-state Dem.”
A national Democratic strategist also told the outlet that it was a “massive indictment” on Ms Whitmer and her team to be seen “get absolutely played” by the Oval Office stunt.
In an earlier policy speech outlining a “consistent national strategy,” Ms Whitmer had shocked some in her party by trying to find common ground with Mr Trump, expressing understanding of his “motivations” behind his sweeping roll-out of tariffs that sparked a global trade war.
In her speech, which came before Mr Trump announced he was pausing tariffs in most nations except for China, she said she broadly agreed with the use of tariffs, but did criticise how they had been implemented.
“Tariffs need to be used like a scalpel, not a hammer,” Ms Whitmer said. “Unfortunately, it’s unclear how this is going to strategically benefit the American economy or the American consumer.”
But she added: “We do need to make more stuff in America — more cars and chips, more steel and ships. We do need fair trade.”
Ms Whitmer, a two-time governor of a battleground state who was tipped as a running mate for Joe Biden in 2020, also called for bipartisan cooperation to strengthen American manufacturing. “There’s a lot more common ground here than we think.”
The speech, which largely focussed on bipartisanship, was widely viewed as Ms Whitmer firing the starting gun on a 2028 run.
The governor appeared to attempt to paint herself as a middle-ground alternative to Mr Trump who could capture votes from both Democrats and swing voters who opted for Mr Trump in 2024 over issues like the economy.
Trying to avoid directly criticising Mr Trump or his administration put her at odds with other high-profile Democrats, who are also considered future presidential hopefuls, and have been clear in their opposition to the tariffs.
Ms Whitmer’s comments came just hours before Mr Trump’s extraordinary u-turn on sweeping global tariffs, in which he issued a 90-day pause on the levies for all countries except China.
While his press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the last-minute ditch was a clear example of the “art of the deal,” Mr Trump himself admitted in a press conference later on that he had reacted after people became “yippy” and a “little bit afraid” amid the market turmoil.
The awkward Oval Office audience was Mr Whitmer’s second face-to-face meeting with Mr Trump since he took office.
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