Michigan's governor, a possible 2028 candidate, wants to find common ground with Trump

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wants a fresh start with President-elect Donald Trump — but also warns that she won't back down over tariffs that she believes would hurt the auto industry in her state.

The second-term governor will give her first major speech Wednesday since Trump's victory over Kamala Harris, for whom Whitmer campaigned across the Midwest. 

Her remarks at the Detroit Auto Show will be watched in Michigan, where she has two years left in her final term, and by people looking for new leadership within the national Democratic Party.

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Whitmer faces a more challenging political landscape than other rising Democrats who could run for president in 2028. She must navigate a divided state legislature while solidifying her legacy in a state that went for Trump in two of the last three elections.

In advance excerpts provided to The Associated Press (AP), Whitmer plans to call both on "friends" in the GOP and "fellow Democrats" to compromise. 

She says she wants to work with Trump but also is reaching out to officials in neighbouring Canada, which the president-elect has accused of cheating the U.S. on trade and has suggested should become part of America.

"There's been a lot of talk about tariffs. I'm not opposed to tariffs outright, but we can't treat them like a 'one size fits all' solution. And we certainly shouldn't use them to punish our closest trading partners," Whitmer plans to say.

Whitmer confirmed Tuesday that she has not yet spoken with Trump but hopes "to connect with him in the next couple of weeks."

Ahead of the speech, Whitmer spoke with the AP to outline her vision and message going forward. Here are excerpts from that conversation:

What has your outreach with Trump looked like so far?

I am planning to attend the National Governors Association meeting in Washington, D.C., I think it's the beginning of next month, and attend the dinner at the White House that the governors always have with the president.

I do look forward to connecting with the incoming president, because we've got a lot of important things, and the people of Michigan elected us both twice, just two years apart, both times, and I suspect we can find common ground on some things and that's my job.

Have you spoken to fellow Democratic governors about your approach toward Trump?