Dems Melt Down Over Gretchen Whitmer’s Surprise Appearance with Trump [WATCH]

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer is facing internal criticism from members of her own party after appearing beside President Donald Trump during a White House event this week.

The unscheduled appearance, which took place during a signing ceremony on Wednesday, led to backlash from Democrats who said it created the impression that Whitmer was aligning with Trump’s policies.

Whitmer had traveled to Washington, D.C., for what her office described as a private meeting with the president.

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However, she was brought into the Roosevelt Room without prior notice to stand nearby as Trump signed executive orders targeting two first-term administration aides who had publicly criticized him.

Although the executive actions were not backed by Whitmer, her presence near the president drew sharp reactions from fellow Democrats.

“It feels like it removes some of the momentum she had as a politically savvy swing-state Dem,” one Democratic operative told NBC News.

The source, who typically supports Whitmer, added bluntly, “Just a f**ing disaster.”

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Criticism quickly spread across media outlets and social platforms. CNN senior reporter Edward-Isaac Dovere labeled the moment a “huge embarrassment” and suggested that the Trump administration had orchestrated the scene for optics.

“She went for this meeting with the president, and he used her as a prop,” Dovere said.

CNN host Audie Cornish echoed the sentiment, stating, “This does not look like the politics of resistance,” referring to the Democratic Party’s traditional stance of opposition to Trump.

The controversy deepened when Trump praised Whitmer during the ceremony, calling her “a very good person” who had done “an excellent job” in Michigan.

The president also highlighted their cooperation on maintaining operations at Selfridge Air Force Base near Detroit and addressing the threat of invasive fish in the Great Lakes.

Trump described those efforts as “bipartisan” and suggested a public ribbon-cutting in the future, joking, “We’ll all stand there together and cut a ribbon. Okay, Gretchen?”

Following the signing, Whitmer’s office moved quickly to distance the governor from the event, saying she was included “without any notice” and stressing that her attendance “was not an endorsement of the actions taken or statements made.”

Earlier that same day, Whitmer delivered remarks on economic policy in which she expressed partial agreement with Trump’s tariff strategy—an unexpected shift that further fueled speculation about her political direction.

“I understand the motivation behind the tariffs, and I can tell you here’s where President Trump and I do agree,” she said.

“We do need to make more stuff in America.”

Whitmer acknowledged alignment with Trump’s goals to bolster domestic manufacturing in sectors like automobiles, steel, and semiconductor chips.

However, she also cautioned against using tariffs indiscriminately, stating, “We’ve got to be careful not to bring out the tariff hammer to swing at every problem.”

Her remarks stood in contrast to other prominent Democrats eyeing the 2028 presidential race. Governors Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Jared Polis of Colorado have both publicly opposed Trump’s economic policies.

The appearance with Trump and her unexpected comments have sparked broader conversations among Democratic strategists about Whitmer’s political instincts and long-term positioning.

With early maneuvering already underway for the next presidential cycle, Wednesday’s developments are expected to remain a topic of concern for Whitmer’s advisors and allies.

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