The much-discussed Oval Office encounter occurred first. The next thing is their open-ended embrace.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, has been trying to put the bitter campaign of last year behind her and find common ground with President Trump in two encounters, despite the danger of political blowback.
Less than a month after she covered her face from cameras during an Oval Office visit beside Trump, Whitmer, a possible presidential contender in 2028, hugged Trump when he landed in her home state on Tuesday.
Gender has never been an issue in the long-standing custom of governors and other high-ranking state officials greeting the president when he disembarks from Air Force One in their state.
Despite growing public disapproval of Trump’s agenda and Democratic calls for a tougher stance toward the president, the bond between Whitmer and Trump stands apart.
Earlier in the day, Trump and Whitmer announced a new fighter jet mission at a National Guard facility near Detroit, and later in the evening, Trump held a rally in Michigan to commemorate his 100th day in office. A key economic generator for the area will be protected for years to come by the new jets at the base, which is a huge gain for Whitmer. The governor said that meeting with Trump in the Oval Office was crucial in ensuring the base’s continued existence.
“My job is to do the right thing for the people of Michigan,” she told The Associated Press following her visit with Trump on Tuesday. “I understand that it’s difficult for people to comprehend, but I’m not considering anything else at the moment.”
Whitmer choose to paint a different picture of her experience with Trump when asked about their embrace.
According to her, Trump was the first to greet her upon landing, and she was appreciative for his “shaking hands and leaning in to tell me, you know, congratulations and that I was a big reason we were making an announcement today.”
She made it plain to Trump that his tariffs are hurting her state and stressed that cooperating with him on certain matters does not mean she cannot criticize him on others.
“I felt compelled to attend because this held immense significance for Michigan,” she declared. “I understand that he will express his opinions at the rally, but my job is to represent the people of Michigan to the best of my ability, and I will fight against his views.”
Not long after giving a speech nearby that provided some criticism of him but stressed common aims, Whitmer stood by in the Oval Office as Trump signed executive decrees and attacked his political opponents earlier this month. A photo of her hiding her face in papers while in the Oval Office was later released by The New York Times.
at a subsequent statement, Whitmer’s office clarified that the inclusion of Whitmer at the meeting had taken place “surprised” them and that “her presence is not an endorsement of the actions taken or statements made at that event.”
More than ten years earlier, Republican New Jersey governor Chris Christie and Democratic president Barack Obama exchanged a notorious welcome, which the Trump-Whitmer hug echoed. Superstorm Sandy hit New Jersey only weeks before Obama and Christie were both running for reelection in 2012. The president made his way to the Garden State to assess the damage. The Republican Party was outraged when Obama touched Christie’s shoulder; they called it a “hug” and said it hurt Mitt Romney’s campaign.
The difficulty Democratic governors face in expressing their criticism of Trump and his policies without alienating Trump supporters they may rely on for future elections and infuriating a president determined to punish anyone who criticize him is mirrored in this.
During the president’s first week in office, he traveled in Los Angeles to tour the devastation caused by wildfires. However, some on the left saw California Gov. Gavin Newsom as too accepting of Trump and his ideas. Despite this, Newsom showered Trump with accolades. Newsom was trying to convince Trump not to implement his promises to get California to give up something in return for disaster aid while also rushing to get federal disaster cash.
