Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a leading Democrat in a key battleground state, on Wednesday subtly warned against President-elect Donald J. Trump’s threat of tariffs targeting Canada, while also He emphasized his broad willingness to work with him ahead of his inauguration. Inauguration ceremony.
Her speech at the Detroit auto show comes as Democrats in Trump-supported states seek to balance new overtures to the president-elect with staunch opposition to some of his policy proposals. This is one of the clearest examples of this ever.
Speaking at the convention center across the Detroit River from Windsor, Ont., Whitmer described the strong cultural and industrial ties between the two cities.
Using tariffs as punishment risks “damaging supply chains, slowing production lines and cutting jobs on both sides of the border,” she said.
Whitmer did not mention Trump by name when she broached the issue, but she threatened to impose tariffs on Canadian imports if the country did not reduce immigration and fentanyl into the United States. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has discussed retaliation, including threatening to cut off Ontario’s electricity supply to the United States.
“I am not totally opposed to tariffs, but they cannot be treated like a one-size-fits-all solution, and they should not be used to punish our closest trading partners. ” Whitmer said, arguing that such tariffs are absolutely necessary. This approach could embolden China.
“They would love nothing more than to see us destroy the American auto ecosystem on our own,” she said. “This is a national security issue.”
Whitmer also noted that auto parts often cross the U.S.-Canada border multiple times during production. Each tariff could mean “you’ll end up paying more to buy a Silverado, repair the engine in your Mustang, or replace the fender on your Jeep Grand Cherokee.” she suggested.
Those comments were part of a broader speech about his economic vision and how Michigan’s auto industry is responding to the challenges and competition it faces internationally and from other states. This broad industry accounts for 20 percent of Michigan’s workforce and contributes $304 billion annually to the state’s economy, according to the Detroit Regional Chamber.
“We need to remain agile to support the companies that already exist and to acquire new companies,” she says. “We can’t unilaterally disarm as some on the far left and far right want us to do.” He told Republicans that new revenue is needed to truly fix the state’s roads. While making this point, he also told the Democratic Party that “fiscally responsible cuts” were also needed.
Whitmer peppered her remarks with promises of bipartisan work both locally and nationally, an effort that has taken on new urgency since Democrats lost the Michigan House majority in November. are.
She also specifically made the gesture toward Trump, who flipped Michigan in November, four years after President Biden won the state.
“I’m hopeful that we can find common ground,” Whitmer said, noting that Michiganders have twice supported both her and Trump.
Whitmer’s comments contrasted with the more combative stance taken by elected officials in some deeply Democratic states.
“I don’t want to pretend we’re always going to agree, but I’m always going to ask for cooperation first,” said Whitmer, who has long been at odds with Trump. “I’m not going to go looking for a fight. I’m not going to back down from them either.”
In an interview Tuesday, Whitmer said, “I look forward to further strengthening my relationship with him after the inauguration.”
“President Trump cares about Michigan. He spent a lot of time here in Michigan and Michigan helped elect him to the White House,” she said, flatteringly. He talked about the person who is often said to be weak. “We want to make sure we keep our eye on the ball and are really focused on using tariffs as a scalpel and not a sledgehammer.”
During her speech, Whitmer was cautious about the state’s high-profile transition to electric vehicles. He said the definition of the auto industry has expanded to include not just parts manufacturers and assembly plants, but also “battery factories, software companies, chip factories and start-ups.”
“We don’t care what you drive,” she said, to applause. “All we care about is that it’s made right here in Michigan, by Michigan workers.”
