LANSING — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says she met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, Aug. 5, and told him recent changes to Medicaid he signed into law will harm Michigan.
Whitmer said in a statement released by a spokeswoman that she also spoke with Trump about “the impact tariffs are having on Michigan’s economy, especially our auto industry.”
Thirdly, Whitmer said she talked to Trump about “ongoing recovery efforts following the ice storm in Northern Michigan earlier this year.” Trump recently said he approved $50 million in disaster support for northern Michigan communities impacted by the ice storms.
“I’ve always said that I’ll work with anyone to get things done for Michigan,” Whitmer said.
“That’s why I’ve continued to go to Washington, D.C., to make sure that Michiganders are front and center when critical decisions are being made. This year alone, we’ve secured major, bipartisan wins including a new fighter mission at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Macomb County, funding to protect our Great Lakes from invasive carp, and federal disaster support for communities in Northern Michigan impacted by historic ice storms.”
Whitmer, who rose to national prominence while repeatedly clashing publicly with Trump during his first term as president, has received both criticism and praise for taking a more collaborative approach during Trump’s second term.
Changes in the “big, beautiful bill” Trump signed July 4 after it won narrow approval in the Republican-controlled Congress are expected to significantly reduce eligibility and/or increase state costs, by hundreds of millions of dollars, for Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps.
Michigan-based automakers have also expressed concern about the impact of wide-ranging tariffs Trump has imposed, with impacts on profits, prices and production.
“I will always do whatever I can to make life a little easier for Michiganders and strengthen our economy,” Whitmer said in the emailed statement.
“We should do everything in our power to lower costs and grow more good-paying jobs in Michigan. I appreciate the president’s time and attention to the matters we discussed.”
Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Whitmer meets Trump at White House to discuss impact of his policies on Michigan
Reporting by Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
