(SHELBY TOWNSHIP) – Bringing new fighter jets to Macomb County will not be the last time the Governor negotiates with the Trump White House. Monday she said she wants to work with him on post-ice storm aid for Northern Michigan, invasive Asian carp and economic development.
“I’ve got a list of things that we need from the federal government,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to the media Monday. “I worked really hard for his opponent in the last election, and yet as soon as the election is over, I can’t sacrifice the Michigan agenda. I’ve got a duty to continue to work with whomever is there.”
Monday Whitmer spoke to local officials and business leaders during a luncheon hosted by the Macomb County Chamber of Commerce, taking place at the Palazzo Grande banquet hall in Shelby Township.
A huge portion of Monday’s remarks zoomed in on the Selfridge Air National Guard Base, located along the western shore of Lake St. Clair. President Donald Trump was on the base on April 29, announcing that beginning in Fiscal Year 2028, more than 20 F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets will be stationed at Selfridge.
Multiple leaders in Macomb County have been advocating getting new fighter jets stationed on the base, hoping it will attract new military personnel, hire local defense contractors and bring revamped economic development to the community.
Ahead of last week’s announcement, 20 A-10 Thunderbolt II “Warthogs” were housed in Selfridge, deploying overseas approximately once every three years. They are all scheduled to be retired by the end of FY 2027.
Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel, who’s served in the role since 2011, explained Whitmer’s interactions with Trump were not about politics, but ensuring a fighter mission came to the county. Hackel, who ran as a Democrat, described the criticism Whitmer received for engaging with Trump as coming from “one extreme within the party.”
He added that he received a call from Whitmer from the backroom during Trump’s visit. He described being told that Trump described Lake St. Clair as great, beautiful and looks like an ocean.
Hackel said thanks to the president, Lake St. Clair is “now the Gulf of Macomb.”
Whitmer received flack earlier last month for appearing in the Oval Office while Trump was signing executive orders. She continues to say she was brought to a White House press conference “as a surprise,” where The New York Times captured a photo of her with blue folders covering her face.
“I wish I hadn’t put that in front of my face, but at the same time … I needed to be there to make the case for Selfridge,” she said Monday afternoon.
During her luncheon remarks, Whitmer said she assumed she’d done something good by Candice Miller – the former Republican U.S. representative and Selfridge’s “honorary commander” – being one of the first people on her feet when she arrived at the microphone.
As for what’s next, Whitmer pointed to seeking federal assistance to keep invasive Asian carp out of the Great Lakes. According to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, the carp would likely “outcompete” native fish for food resources, with their growth sizes capable of exceeding 100 pounds and four feet in length.
The commission reported how in some areas of the Mississippi basin, Asian carp make up 97 percent of fish biomass after invading the ecosystems. It is projected that the Great Lakes could see $7 billion in irreparable damage if the carp invade.
Whitmer added that there is not yet a federal emergency declaration for northern Michigan. At the end of March, 12 counties were hit by a late-season ice storm. After being struck with an inch-and-a-half of ice, an estimated 3 million acres of trees broke in half or were generally damaged.
“We have the threat of Asian carp in our Great Lakes. We’ve got emergency funding for Northern Michigan that we’re trying to get done. There (are) economic development opportunities for the state that federal partnership is absolutely essential, so there are a lot of things that are on my list,” Whitmer said.
When asked if she was referring to artificial intelligence and data centers when mentioning economic development, which Trump has been a promoter of, Whitmer said “that could be something in there, yeah.”
The fighter jets were discussed on Monday’s episode of the MIRS Monday podcast. Michelle Smith, a 2024 Republican precinct delegate from Sterling Heights, said as a moderate conservative, she really loved to see that kind of bipartisan effort.
“I know there was a hug and some other things that might have turned some people off, but I’m impressed with it. Getting a new mission at Selfridge is a huge win for the state,” Smith said. “We have a great base, and it’s strategically placed, and it’s an excellent opportunity for us.”
MoReno Taylor II, a Democratic political strategist who’s now doing pro-democracy nonprofit work, doesn’t think the backlash to come from Whitmer in Trump’s Oval Office has been fully seen. However, he does give her credit for “going into the snake pit and fighting for the people of the state of Michigan.”
“I’m not a military strategist by any means, but if you’re going to start a war with Canada, I think having strategic locations in Michigan is very important,” Taylor said, joking about Trump’s tariff policies impacting Canadian imports. “I think a lot of times we do get caught up in the partisan nature of things … I do want to acknowledge that, when you’re an elected official, you are elected to represent all of the people, and sometimes you gotta fight for those who may not necessarily care for you to do that.”
Article courtesy MIRS News for SBAM’s Lansing Watchdog newsletter
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