Whitmer Makes Case To Trump That Tariffs Hurt Michigan

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 08/05/2025) Gov. Gretchen Whitmer made a return trip to the White House on Tuesday, making the case directly to the President that his emergency tariffs were hurting Michigan's auto industry. She is also asking that Michigan be allowed to continue a Medicaid provider assessment to prevent the system from potentially having to drop patients due to costs.

Without giving Michigan some flexibility in how it runs its Medicaid system, seniors, people with disabilities, new moms and rural residents could see “disruptions” in their health coverage.

“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.”

In speaking with President Donald Trump, Whitmer also gave an update on the recovery efforts Up North following the late March ice storm.

She noted she successfully advocated for the new fighter mission at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Macomb County and for additional resources designed to prevent the invasive Asian carp from getting into the Great Lakes.

“I will always do whatever I can to make life a little easier for Michiganders and strengthen our economy,” Whitmer said. “We should do everything in our power to lower costs and grow more good-paying jobs in Michigan.”

Whitmer also saw Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles while at the White House.

Starting with tariffs, Whitmer said Michigan's economy is tied to the auto industry, which requires cross-border traffic to build automobiles. Roughly 9.2 percent of the state's gross domestic product comes from autos. When parts manufacturers have their parts from Canada slapped with tariffs, costs go up, few people buy cars and Michigan struggles.

That said, the Governor asked if he and she could work together to build up the Genesee County property originally set up for semiconductor manufacturer Sandisk, until they pulled out last month, allegedly due to market instability.

Canada and Mexico is 9.25 percent of Michigan's gross domestic product. The US-Mexico-Canada Agreement has driven $23.22 billion for autos and $14.7 billion from auto suppliers.

Whitmer has said, “We're ready to talk with locals, Republicans, Democrats to get this done and make a ”generational investment."

On Medicaid, Whitmer is asking for a three-year ramp-up period for the recently-passed federal cost-cutting Medicaid reforms so Michigan can change its insurance provider assessment (IPA) to something that works under the new rules. She also asked that the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services create a framework her state-level folks can use in crafting the new IPA, which generates $2.7 billion statewide as the match needed to get federal Medicaid dollars.

The idea is this assessment will generate the state match needed to keep the Medicaid system afloat for the 2.6 Michiganders who use it.