Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) delivered a speech in Washington, DC, on Wednesday where she laid out her vision for manufacturing and bipartisanship.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Well, good morning. I'm so happy to be here with all of you. Thank you for joining us this morning and thank you, George, for that kind introduction. I want to talk a little bit this morning about how we can work together to get things done, to grow our economy, protect our national defense, and make a real difference for the people of this country. And obviously my focus is the people of Michigan, but we are a microcosm, so what's good in Michigan is good for the nation.
00:27I came to D.C. because I really believe in our ability to bridge political divides and make lasting progress. And yes, I do believe that. Even in my seven years, Governor, in this tumultuous time in this country and around the globe, I still believe that and I remain guided by the values that I learned growing up in a bipartisan household in the Midwest.
00:51Values of decency, respect, and kindness still shape the way that I approach this work, and it helps me make sure I stay focused on what matters so we can get things done.
01:02As a former state legislator, I've worked with a Republican governor in Michigan to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.
01:10This covers hundreds of thousands of Michiganders. As a governor, I've worked with a Republican-led legislature most of my time as governor. I've signed over 1,500 bipartisan bills and enacted six balanced budgets into law.
01:27Michiganders have an opportunity and, I believe, an obligation to lead by example and show the folks in D.C. how we get things done.
01:36Before we dig into some of my proposals today, I need to acknowledge what's going on with regard to tariffs. I know that that is front and line for all of us.
01:44I'm not going to sugarcoat it. These last few days have been really tough for Michigan.
01:51Twenty percent of our economy is tied to the auto industry, which depends on a steady flow of goods from our largest and closest trading partners.
02:02We're home to the busiest international border crossing in North America.
02:06More than 10,000 vehicles carrying parts and materials cross the bridge between Detroit and Windsor every weekday.
02:16We're already seeing the impacts of tariffs. Auto companies are stockpiling parts and laying off workers.
02:24Suppliers are facing higher costs and delaying expansions.
02:29Dealerships are forced to raise prices by up to $15,000 amid slowing sales.
02:37And since every single auto job supports three others in the community, the impact is being felt by all of us, including small businesses across my state.
02:51Economists have pointed out that these tariffs represent the largest tax increase in nearly 60 years,
02:58costing families an average of $1,900.
03:02And if you're planning on having a cup of coffee, pumping gas, getting your groceries, buying clothes for your kids,
03:09or just simply meeting a friend for a drink, every one of those transactions is going to cost more because of tariffs.
03:16At the same time, we know that 401ks and IRAs are plunging, which is going to force older Americans to put off retirement.
03:24Home prices are going to go up and putting homeownership further out of reach for young people.
03:32So it really is a triple whammy.
03:34Higher costs, fewer jobs, and more uncertainty.
03:38And it couldn't come at a worse time.
03:41People have been struggling after years of inflation and wages that aren't keeping up.
03:46We need government to stay focused on lowering the cost of living.
03:51Instead, what we're getting is the opposite.
03:54Less money in our pockets.
03:56More doubts about future paychecks.
03:59Critical government services that are getting defunded when they are needed most.
04:05I understand the motivation behind the tariffs.
04:08And I can tell you, here's where President Trump and I do agree.
04:11We do need to make more stuff in America.
04:14More cars and ships.
04:16More steel and ships.
04:18We do need fair trade.
04:22No state has lived through the consequences of offshoring and outsourcing more than Michigan.
04:28We know that when you lose a factory, it doesn't just mean losing those jobs.
04:34Losing people means losing resources.
04:37It means fewer police officers and underfunded schools.
04:42It means less housing being built and fewer roads fixed.
04:46It's a loss of purpose and identity.
04:50So while I share the President's goal of bringing good-paying, middle-class manufacturing jobs back,
04:56it's got to be done right.
04:59Re-industrialization could have huge ripple effects,
05:03since manufacturing has the highest economic multiplier of any sector.
05:08Every dollar spent to make something triggers a chain reaction of material purchases, job growth, and supply chain,
05:19and more economic growth.
05:21So as I've said before, I'm not against tariffs outright.
05:24But it is a blunt tool.
05:28You can't just pull out the tariff hammer to swing at every problem without a clear, defined end goal.
05:36We cannot underestimate or underappreciate the time and capital it's going to take to actually bring jobs and supply chains back home.
05:46So there's not a shortcut here.
05:49Strategic re-industrialization must be a bipartisan project that spans multiple presidential administrations.
05:58So to get it done, we've got to work with our friends and compete against our adversaries.
06:04We need to be strategic about tariffs, on the technology we actually want to make in America,
06:10and on industries where we already have a sizable competitive advantage.
06:16Let's carve out autos and energy, both of which are critical to manufacturers and directly impact people's wallets.
06:25Finally, to the extent that tariffs are a strategic tool and an economic toolbox,
06:30let's use all of the new revenue to reinvest in American businesses and in our workers.
06:37Our history has proven that when we build, we succeed.
06:43And the opposite is true as well.
06:45When we don't build, we fall behind.
06:48When we don't build enough housing, we put the American dream out of reach.
06:52When we don't build enough schools, we lose our pipeline of talent.
06:58When we don't build enough roads or transit, we make it harder for people to get around and for businesses to move their goods.
07:05When we don't build enough factories, the engines that power our industrial economy sputter.
07:12The Trump administration says they get this, and I know that the Biden administration understood this too.
07:18It's why, despite the political division we see on the surface,
07:22there has been a real bipartisan effort below deck to bring manufacturing home.
07:28Here's an example for Michigan.
07:30In October of 2023, my administration invested $40 million to fix Wilder Road in a small town near Saginaw on the shores of Lake Hurok.
07:42We got it done to help Vantage Plastics.
07:45This is a local manufacturer.
07:47We're helping them to build a new factory and create 93 good-paying jobs, local jobs.
07:53And this is a very purple part of Michigan.
07:57Donald Trump won this area three times, and I carried it twice.
08:01A few weeks ago, Vice President Vance visited the finished factory.
08:05He spoke there, and he said, and I quote,
08:08making things, building things, working with our hands is America's heritage.
08:12I agree with this.
08:14And I'm proud that the amount of money being spent to build factories in America has more than tripled over a decade.
08:20In Michigan, we've secured dozens of new facilities to build chips, batteries, cars, and energy.
08:29Just this year, major companies have announced huge investments in America to build data centers and factories and research facilities.
08:38So here's my pitch.
08:39Let's keep going.
08:41Let's make more ships and planes and semiconductor ships in America.
08:45Let's cut right tape and unleash extraordinary potential of American industry.
08:51Let's give more hard-working people a fair shot at a decent life.
08:56And let's usher in, as President Trump says, a golden age of American manufacturing.
09:02So first I want to talk about ships.
09:05I will talk about ships, but I'm talking about ships first.
09:08American shipbuilding output is a fraction of what it was in the 1950s.
09:13We build just 0.1%, all right, 1.1% of the world's ships, while China alone makes 53%.
09:26That's more than the rest of the world combined.
09:30Here's another shocking stat.
09:32China's largest state-owned ship company built more ships by tonnage last year than we have in the last 80 years.
09:42Since the end of World War II.
09:47Shipbuilding is both a commercial and military challenge, but I'm going to focus on the military side.
09:53Last September, the United States Navy set an ambitious goal of building hundreds more ships and submarines over the next few decades.
10:02If we don't progress toward that goal, China's naval fleet could be 50% larger than ours by 2030.
10:11It's not that far away.
10:13So I'm encouraged that both parties appear to see the problem.
10:16In December, Republicans and Democrats in Congress introduced the Ships for America Act,
10:22which would be the most significant bipartisan legislation to build ships in decades.
10:28Last month, during his joint address to Congress, President Trump announced that he will establish a new office of shipbuilding in the White House under the National Security Council.
10:39A few days later, Brett Seidel, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for R&D, testified in front of the House Armed Services Committee.
10:48He outlined the challenges that we face, including reduced manufacturing capacity, supply disruptions, and most of all, workforce shortages.
10:58The last factor, workforce, is huge.
11:02We are short more than 100,000 workers, as nearly every major American shipyard has a hard time hiring and retaining the workforce they need.
11:13The shortage will get worse in a generation, as we see a generation of experienced ship workers start to retire.
11:22If we don't act, our shipbuilding workforce will soon be smaller and less experienced than ever.
11:30In Michigan, we're at the tip of the spear, or at the tip of the torpedo, in this case, in facing this challenge.
11:36Last year, the former Navy Secretary and I launched the Michigan Maritime Manufacturing, or the M3, initiative.
11:44It's a job training program built in partnership with Macomb County and Macomb County Community College to prepare thousands of Michiganders for careers in maritime welding and machining.
11:57A few weeks ago, I attended the first-ever M3 graduation.
12:00It was full of inspiring stories.
12:04There was a mother and son who are graduating together.
12:07A young man who built a career on, built on his career in tech education he got in high school.
12:14Another who went from homelessness to a hopeful future where he signed a contract that day with a company at a good-paying job.
12:23A clerk, a caregiver, a Coast Guard veteran.
12:26These are some of the people that graduated that day.
12:28We've already heard from businesses that have hired some of these recent graduates and are really impressed with their technical talent and the skills they brought on day one.
12:38A couple weeks ago, I shared the success of this M3 initiative with Defense Secretary Hegsa.
12:44I told him it's good for workers, it's been good for Michigan, and it's good for America, too, and national security.
12:52So, my proposal is let's grow it.
12:55Let's expand initiatives like this.
12:57Let's do it statewide in Michigan, but replicate it across the country.
13:01The state of Michigan is ready to serve as a connector between the Navy and our network of 31 tribal and community colleges.
13:08We have the skills and the ability to make sure we're training people up.
13:14We can train thousands of Michigators to do what we do best, which is GSD.
13:19Get ship done.
13:20Now, let's talk about planes.
13:24We are the world leader in both commercial and military aviation.
13:28We're the home to industrial giants and manufacturers up and down the supply chain.
13:33We have a strong network of allies and around the globe in this space, including the U.K.'s Midland Aerospace Alliance, who I met with two weeks ago.
13:43Our air superiority is second to none, but we are facing serious economic headwinds as our adversaries are catching up.
13:53Globally, we're short 17,000 jets and planes, and plane travel shows no sign of slowing down, with an all-time high of 5.2 billion passengers last year.
14:05Because of the shortage, however, airlines are having to use older planes for longer periods of time, for an average of 14 years.
14:15Now, there's a huge opportunity here to meet demand while making a profit and maximizing market share.
14:23China understands this.
14:26This is their plan, actually.
14:27They're rapidly expanding their aviation industry, both military and commercial, and they're gaining momentum fast.
14:36They're world leaders in drone manufacturing, and just the second country after the United States, to have two stealth fighter jets, the J-20 and the J-35.
14:47China's largest passenger plane company, commercial aircraft corporation, COMAC, now makes models that are competing with best-selling, American-made planes on the market.
15:00They are on the verge of challenging Boeing and Airbus as a serious competitor.
15:05This should serve as a wake-up call to this country.
15:09COMAC, like so many Chinese companies, is funded directly by the Chinese government.
15:15This allows them to undercut others on the price while they're plowing billions into R&D.
15:23We see the same story playing out in the car market.
15:28Over the past decade, Chinese automakers, directly funded by the Chinese government, have muscled their way into countries around the world.
15:37They can solve a loss because of the way that they're funded.
15:40And they're gobbling up market share, and they're driving out local competition.
15:46In Southeast Asia, Japanese giants like Honda and Toyota and Nissan are selling fewer cars.
15:53In Europe, Volkswagen was forced to close the factory for the first time in its century-long history because of Chinese competition.
16:02If we don't hit the throttle now, while we lead in the commercial and military aviation, China will pass us.
16:11That's something we cannot afford.
16:14We must protect our lead.
16:16And Michigan is ready and poised to do whatever it takes to win this.
16:19We can lean on our manufacturing experience and skilled workforce to boost domestic aviation manufacturing.
16:27We've got history here.
16:29There is precedent here.
16:30During World War II, Michigan automakers and suppliers took to the skies.
16:36In a matter of months, we shifted from producing cars and trucks for civilians to producing airplanes, tanks, guns, and shells for GIs.
16:46A Buick factory won a contract to build 500 engines a month, but ended up making 2,000 during that time.
16:54At Ford's legendary Willow Run Airport, 42,000 Michiganders rolled a B-24 bomber off the line every hour, 24-7, for a grand total of 8,865.
17:08And a generation of Rosie the Riveters said, we can do it.
17:13And they worked in the factories.
17:15We were able to get it done because the federal government set a clear strategy, made it easier to move fast by slashing red tape, and simplified procurement.
17:27When you already know how to make something complicated, like a car, it's a lot easier to ship your factory to make something else.
17:35Domestic manufacturers, whether they're multinational corporations or small and mid-sized companies further up the supply chain, stand ready and capable to do this.
17:46If we collaborate at the state and federal level, we can make targeted investments to retool our factories, to make planes, plane parts, and drones.
17:57We have manufacturing and innovation ecosystem that is uniquely suited for modern defense and aerospace needs.
18:06Another contributing factor to slowing aviation industry, just like with shipbuilding, is a shrinking workforce.
18:13Nearly a quarter of American aviation technicians have fewer than five years of experience, as a huge wave of retirement is about to hit the market.
18:26Experts estimate that by 2028, we'll be short 37,000 aviation techs.
18:33At the state level, I can tell you Michigan's doing our part.
18:36We've made historic, bipartisan investments in places like the Selfridge National Air Guard Base, a key defense hub, an economic anchor that supports thousands of jobs and hundreds of military families in Macomb County.
18:51I established a new statewide office of defense and aerospace innovation.
18:55And in the heart of Detroit, we set up the Transportation Innovation Zone, where aviation and aerospace startups can easily test new technologies in public airspace.
19:08But we can't do this alone.
19:11We need help from Washington.
19:13We need a coordinated, national strategy and bipartisan investment to grow America's aviation industry and workforce.
19:21Otherwise, we know that China is going to eat our lunch.
19:24If we're proactive, we can create tens of thousands of good-paying jobs and protect our national security and lower costs for travelers around the world and here at home.
19:35So let's make it easier for aviation and aerospace to thrive in America.
19:40Let's put a ruthless emphasis on outcomes over process.
19:45And let's build and innovate and own the skies.
19:49I started speaking about big manufacturing projects.
19:53Now I want to focus on the smallest.
19:55I want to talk about semiconductor chips.
19:58Chips are the brains behind so much of what makes our lives work.
20:03They're in our phones.
20:04They're in our cars.
20:05They're in our appliances.
20:07They're critical for AI technology as well.
20:10Decades ago, we invented chips.
20:14And we used to make them, too.
20:15But then we just ceded ground to other nations, especially China.
20:20For a long time, we made zero logic and DRAM chips.
20:24These are two of the most advanced types that we all rely on.
20:29Thankfully, Republicans, Democrats, and industry leaders came together to do something about it.
20:34During President Trump's first term, we started a serious national conversation about semiconductor manufacturing.
20:42A few years later, during the Biden years, Congress passed bipartisan legislation to bring chip manufacturing back home.
20:48I'm grateful to so many of our congressional delegation who fought hard to get it across the finish line.
20:55Now, because we work together, we are seeing real progress.
21:00An example from Michigan is Hemlock Semiconductor, who expanded in their hometown near Saginaw with a new facility that's going to create more than 1,000 jobs.
21:10Hemlock is one of the largest producers of hyper-pure polysilicon.
21:15Again, you're never more than a few feet away from Michigan-made polysilicon because it's in nearly every single electronic device in the world.
21:26Nationally, we're now on track to make 20% of the world's logic chips and 10% of the DRAM chips, up from zero.
21:35We're building 17 chip fab facilities, including one from each of the world's five best and biggest manufacturers.
21:43Altogether, they've committed to investing more than $600 billion in America.
21:49And I know that there are still more in the pipeline.
21:52These chip fabs offer thousands of jobs during construction and thousands more permanent, long-term local jobs once they are completed.
22:01Both Democrats and Republicans agree that we must stay on the bleeding edge of technology.
22:07The president even mentioned chips during his speech to Congress and set up a new United States Investment Accelerator to oversee semiconductor projects.
22:17We have the momentum right now, but we cannot risk stepping back or faltering.
22:23We need to continue strong bipartisan efforts at the state and national level to make more chips.
22:29The bottom line is that when America innovates and when America builds, America wins.
22:37We all want manufacturing to be stronger than ever.
22:41Nobody wants that more than Michiganders.
22:43We pride ourselves on the things we make and grow.
22:46As I've laid out, we need a consistent national strategy united around a new economic consensus that a lot of Democrats and Republicans now share.
22:57Let's make stuff in America.
23:00If that's what we believe, then we should be able to celebrate good policy no matter where it comes from,
23:06and also criticize bad policy wherever it comes from.
23:10There's a lot more common ground here than we think.
23:14While partisanship seems to have infected every aspect of our lives, and it's exhausting.
23:19It's driven by opportunistic politicians and cynical media figures and addictive algorithms.
23:28But our people are not as divided as our politics.
23:31You really believe that.
23:33People from every walk of life call Michigan home.
23:36We are a microcosm, and that's why every presidential election, people look to see what's going on in Michigan.
23:41We don't always agree, that's for sure, but we move forward together, and that is a source of strength.
23:49It's why I came here to D.C.
23:52Building on an industrial economy is no small task.
23:57It's thousands of small tasks.
24:00And each of us, government, industry entrepreneurs, workers, we're all part of the same pit crew.
24:07I'm from Michigan, so yes, I'm going to torture another auto analogy.
24:13We're all part of the same pit crew.
24:15If we do our jobs, we can get America back on the track better and faster than ever.
24:20Don't just take my word for it.
24:22Talk to someone like Roger Penske.
24:25He's a successful businessman who's built a $43 billion company, 74,000 employees,
24:32and that company happens to be headquartered in Michigan.
24:34In addition to his thriving commercial trucking business,
24:39Penske runs the world's leading motorsports enterprise.
24:43He knows what it takes to run a good pit crew and build a business that is successful.
24:48At the Detroit Grand Prix, the Penske crew runs a full systems check,
24:52replaces four tires, and pumps 20 gallons of fuel in 6.2 seconds
24:56to get their car moving toward the checkered flag as quickly as possible.
25:01They work together.
25:02They use a data-driven strategy.
25:06They source the best products they can to win.
25:09That's what we should be doing as well.
25:12I know there's been a lot of talk recently about government efficiency,
25:16but the proposed solutions have been solely focused on firing people from the crew
25:21or stripping away critical parts.
25:24That's no way to win a race.
25:26If we really want to win, and to keep winning, we need to reinvest in our crew and build better parts.
25:34In our darkest hours, that's exactly what we did.
25:38When this country entered World War II, we didn't have the industrial capacity to fight a two-front war in Europe and in the Pacific,
25:46let alone win it.
25:47So we built the arsenal of democracy.
25:50It was the most successful collaboration between government and industry and workers in our history.
25:58When the Allies won the war, half the million Michiganders flooded into downtown Detroit to celebrate,
26:05realizing the part they all played in saving the world.
26:08Now, fast forward to just a few years ago.
26:12As we faced a deadly global pandemic, the president launched Operation Warp Speed.
26:17We moved faster than anyone thought was possible to create, test, make, and ship billions of shots of a life-saving vaccine.
26:26I still remember the pride I felt when I watched the Pfizer vaccine get packed into trucks and roll out at Portage, Michigan.
26:35People stood outside on the road, even though it was bitter cold, waving the stars and stripes, proud of what we had done.
26:43It was an extraordinary achievement that showed us what's possible when we work together to streamline government
26:49and allow America to do what it does best, innovate and build.
26:54We had a lot going for us, but our future is uncertain.
26:59We have good cards, but good cards alone don't mean jack if you don't play them right.
27:03This year, and in the years to come, no matter who is in the White House, we need to be betting on American workers.
27:11We need to bring chip manufacturers back home.
27:15So let's dominate the seas and the skies and the roads, and let's innovate and let's build together.
27:23I really appreciate you joining me this morning, and I'm looking forward to the conversation that we're about to have next.
27:28Thank you so much.
27:28Governor, thank you for those comments.
27:46It makes me proud to be a Michigander, proud to be an American.
27:48Thank you so much.
27:49It's a privilege to be here today to introduce Governor Gretchen Whitmer for a fireside chat with Gretchen Carlson.
28:00As a guy named George, I very rarely share a room with another George, let alone a stage, so it's good to make the distinction.
28:06Gretchen Carlson is an acclaimed journalist and co-founder of the nonprofit Lift Hour Voices,
28:11which seeks to change workplace cultures and empower every worker to feel safe, respected, and included.
28:18Gretchen is a fearless advocate for women's rights and helped pave the way for the global hashtag MeToo movement.
28:24She is a former CBS News and Fox News journalist, best-selling author, TED Talk alum, and champion for workplace equality.
28:33Gretchen brought together Democrats and Republicans to pass two important bipartisan laws,
28:37the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act in March of 2022,
28:44and the Speak Out Act in December of that same year,
28:46two of the biggest labor law changes in the last 100 years.
28:51Gretchen has shown what it means to work across the aisle to get results,
28:54and as Governor Whitmer pointed out earlier,
28:56with signing almost 1,500 bipartisan bills in the law, she does as well.
29:01Thank you for the opportunity to be here today.
29:04I will now turn it over to the Governor and Gretchen Carlson,
29:06and I look forward to their conversation.
29:17Well, thanks so much for being here today.
29:19It's my honor to be up on the stage as well.
29:22We're going to tackle tariffs, and we're going to talk about the Governor's bipartisan approach,
29:26but first things first.
29:28Our name.
29:29Yeah.
29:29So when I was growing up in a small town in Minnesota,
29:33everyone was Jennifer or Elizabeth, and quite honestly, I didn't greatly like my name, Gretchen.
29:38When it came to running for student council in seventh grade, there was nothing that rhymed with Gretchen.
29:43My dad came up finally with stretchin' for Gretchen, for your vote.
29:48Last week at Starbucks, my name was Wretch.
29:51So my question for you this morning is, my Gen X Gretchen friend, did you like your name growing up?
29:58Do you like it now?
29:59You know, I wasn't, I was the only Gretchen growing up, just like you, Jennifer's, et cetera,
30:05and I wasn't particularly enamored with it, to be honest, but I named after my grandma Gretchen, who I adore.
30:12It's funny, though, because she always said, never let anyone shorten your name.
30:15Don't let people call you Gretch, because it rhymes with wretch.
30:18Gretch, and so I always had this aversion to being called Gretch,
30:21and then during the pandemic, I got the nickname Big Gretch.
30:25I don't know how many women that want big on the front of their nickname.
30:28And then Gretch, I wasn't sure, but when I found out it was bestowed on me from support,
30:32it became my new favorite nickname.
30:34I'm not encouraging you to adopt that, but it's worked for me.
30:38But yeah, now I like it, because it's kind of nice to have a different nickname.
30:41I was envious of you, because you did have a cool nickname, Big Gretch, and your book, True Gretch.
30:46So you have two of them.
30:47So in your speech, you reminded us that 20% of Michigan's economy is tied to the auto industry,
30:54and of course, you're home to the biggest international border crossing in America.
30:59Today, the hatchet came down with Trump's tariffs,
31:02and quite honestly, they're going to hit your state harder than most.
31:06You mentioned that Trump's using the hatchet or a blunt tool.
31:10How would you have enacted the Trump tariffs too?
31:14I don't know how I would have enacted them differently.
31:18I haven't really thought about that.
31:19What I have thought about, though, is tariffs need to be used like a scalpel, not a hammer.
31:27There is a purpose to have tariffs, but the uncertainty that has now been created,
31:32the anxiety and the fear just breeds destruction, I think, in our economy, in our personal economies,
31:39but certainly in the auto market in particular.
31:42You know, the president negotiated USMCA.
31:46It was a good deal.
31:48It has worked.
31:49And I think, you know, now treating our allies, our North American neighbors, like adversaries is going to cost all of us.
31:57It's not just going to cost that relationship, but every American consumer.
32:01It's probably going to cost a lot of auto jobs, make the cost of buying an auto, much less blueberries from Mexico going up.
32:10And so the big loser in this is American manufacturing and is the American consumer.
32:17Understand that China, yes, we need to have our eye on China.
32:21I talked about it, whether it's in aerospace and shipmaking and automotive and in a variety of economic ways.
32:29That is different.
32:31We need to level the plane, but we need to enforce the laws against Chinese companies that are coming into this country,
32:37underwritten by the Chinese government.
32:40But the North American tariffs in particular are really going to have a dramatic negative impact on Michiganders and on business.
32:50Business wants certainty.
32:51And right now, when the rules are changing literally day by day, it is no company is going to be able to invest the hundreds of millions or billions of dollars in many cases,
33:04much less make decades-long investments because you don't know what the rules are.
33:10And because of that, we're going to see contraction.
33:12We're going to see paralysis.
33:13Then it's going to lead to job losses and higher costs for people.
33:17And so I would, and I will continue to encourage the White House to think about what the long-term strategy is,
33:25how do we meet those goals, and to recognize this isn't a moment-to-moment issue.
33:32It's just going to continue to wreak havoc and make everyone feel the anxiety and fear and have dramatic losses that we can't afford to have right now.
33:39I want to talk about your constituents because I don't have to tell you that Michigan has had a couple of trade wars.
33:45NAFTA eviscerated manufacturing when production moved to other countries and to cheaper southern states.
33:51And now tariffs are quite honestly putting you in a tough spot with your constituents.
33:55On the one hand, you have the UAW, who for the most part is in favor of these tariffs,
34:00saying that if they work as Trump says they will work, then it will bring back jobs and manufacturing.
34:07But on the other side, you have the auto manufacturers and you have the auto dealers who are going to get killed with these additional tariffs.
34:14So how do you thread the needle for all of your constituents?
34:18Well, you know, as I've talked, Michigan does feel, you know,
34:22there's a saying that when America gets a cold, Michigan gets the flu, right?
34:26We are the first to be hit when, to feel the pain of decisions that are, could be argued to be capricious or not strategic.
34:35We feel it harder than any other state, and that's what we're seeing already in Michigan.
34:41You know, I understand the sentiment that some are conveying, yes, we should be onshoring supply chains.
34:46I agree with that.
34:47Yes, we should be building more stuff in America, 100%.
34:49It's a national security issue on top of all the other reasons that it's a good thing for jobs,
34:54it is a good thing for consumers.
34:56And if we had a magic wand, could we all go back and redo some things differently?
35:01That'd be lovely.
35:02But we don't.
35:03The reality is, in this moment, we have supply chains that have been built up with our North American neighbors
35:09that American jobs rely on, seamless flow.
35:15Yes, perhaps we should be onshoring, and the goal is great, but we need to be realistic.
35:20That doesn't happen overnight.
35:22There are suppliers that are still trying to recover from inflation and COVID who are on the bubble
35:29and don't have the resources to weather this up-and-down, uncertain time where the rules keep changing.
35:37And so I do worry that a lot of businesses won't make it if this goes on much longer.
35:41I worry that big companies that are relying on those small businesses then pay a price as well.
35:47You know, I have done a little bit of traveling abroad recently,
35:52and I can tell you there is an anti-American sentiment that they're saying don't buy American goods anymore.
36:00American companies are going to pay a price for that.
36:03And so I'm really very concerned about how do we navigate this.
36:08As for the UAW, we'll lose some UAW jobs.
36:12And I understand the leader wants to try to be a part of the conversation,
36:16and, you know, he's a good guy.
36:19He's done some good things.
36:20But I think that the longer-term concern is the loss of UAW jobs
36:26and the pain that's going to be inflicted in the short term.
36:29Well, speaking of that, immediately after the Trump tariffs were announced,
36:32900 UAW workers were laid off.
36:35The University of Michigan economist says the steel and aluminum tariffs alone will cost Michigan
36:41600 auto manufacturing jobs by the end of next year,
36:44an additional 1,700 jobs in industries that serve auto workers.
36:49So, to your point, are the tariffs really good for auto workers?
36:53I would argue they're not.
36:55I would argue that all of this uncertainty is going to cost every one of us,
36:59but especially auto workers, so, and I think we're already seeing that, the immediate impact.
37:05The longer-term, it could be a lot worse.
37:07So, some experts are also arguing that manufacturing in 2025 and beyond isn't like the 60s or the 70s.
37:14Jobs have been modernized, obviously, with technology and AI,
37:17and that those will actually be the new jobs that are coming, if they can.
37:21So, you talk a lot about the hope of future manufacturing jobs.
37:26Is that really real, not to mention that they take time to come to fruition?
37:32Yes, it is.
37:33You know, as I talk to economists, there's no question that the type of manufacturing is very different.
37:38It's a lot cleaner.
37:39It's a lot more automated.
37:41You still need a lot of people.
37:43You need people to run the machines.
37:45You need people with a higher, different, you know, set of skills in order to do this.
37:51And as we look at shipbuilding and aerospace, you know, as I was talking about earlier, there's a huge amount of need.
38:01There's a real opportunity for us in manufacturing.
38:04Good-paying jobs.
38:05It requires discipline.
38:08It requires marshalling the resources, streamlining the processes,
38:14and making sure we've got the workforce to do those jobs.
38:18And so, as I, you know, highlighted M3, which is a great initiative that we have in partnership with the U.S. Navy.
38:26You know, it's going to take thousands of small investments like that in order for us to meet the need,
38:32but there's a real opportunity here.
38:35If we seize on this, in 10 years, our manufacturing capabilities will be even more advanced.
38:41We'll have more people making more money, but also we will be owning these industries
38:46instead of trying to catch up or having our adversary be the dominant leader in all of these realms.
38:53So last week, Trump demanded that automakers not pass along the increase in costs to consumers.
38:59Ironically, my family was in the car business in Minnesota for 100 years,
39:04so I've lived this and seen the ups and downs.
39:08Dealers, honestly, don't make money selling cars.
39:10I mean, they make it in service and body work and used car sales,
39:15and so the margins are small for new cars.
39:17There's no way they can absorb these kinds of tariff costs.
39:22So where are these hired costs going to be passed on to?
39:25The consumer? To the dealer? Who?
39:28Well, the dealer won't be in business very long if they assume all the costs.
39:33So it will, by necessity, be passed on to the consumer.
39:36This is a tax on the American people.
39:39And, you know, I know that tariff is a term of art,
39:45but the reality of what it means for the American consumer is it's just like a tax.
39:50And unfortunately, it's unclear how this is going to strategically benefit the American economy
39:57or the American consumer.
39:59And I think that's the big problem here, the uncertainty as well.
40:04You know, people are watching what's happening in their personal lives.
40:11Businesses are watching what's going on with the market.
40:13It is a direct reaction to the continued change in what policy is,
40:19whether or not it's negotiable, and then some days it is negotiable.
40:22Some days it's this percentage or it's this percentage.
40:24I mean, this will have a paralyzing impact on the economy.
40:31And if you think that a company or a country is paying the tariff, you're being misled.
40:38It is the consumer that ends up paying the costs, and it is really a tax.
40:43And that leads us to what happens to the economy.
40:46J.P. Morgan and others are now saying, predicting 50% to 60% possibility of a recession.
40:52The 2008 recession hit the auto industry hard in Michigan in general.
40:56Are you afraid history is going to repeat itself?
40:59I am.
41:00It won't be a real repetition because that was driven by other things than some decisions by the White House.
41:09But the impact could be as severe.
41:12It could be worse, frankly.
41:13And that is, I think, a real potential outcome of if this goes on a lot longer.
41:21I'm hopeful that the administration is taking in the feedback and understands the on-shoring will take time.
41:29It doesn't happen overnight.
41:32It doesn't happen over weeks.
41:34This is a years-long process.
41:36And so we've got to help American manufacturers.
41:38We've got to help American businesses weather this, and we've got to make sure that the consumers don't bear the brunt of it.
41:45If there is a strategy that can be communicated, markets will settle down, and businesses can deploy those resources and make those long-term commitments.
41:55But so long as it is a roller coaster, no one's going to do anything because they're going to wait to see what happens.
42:02And we're all going to pay the price for that.
42:04Speaking of strategy, one of your other big messages today and before has been your focus on bipartisanship and trying to work across the aisle.
42:14At my nonprofit, Lift Our Voices, as George mentioned, we believe in that philosophy, too.
42:19In 2002, we were instrumental in passing those two bipartisan laws.
42:23I'm not going to say it was easy, but we ended up accomplishing that.
42:27So while that marked a huge bipartisan win, quite honestly, many people remain very skeptical that we can actually come together during this hyper-political divided time that we live in.
42:40Why do you think that preaching bipartisanship is the right approach?
42:45Well, you know, I know that we're never going to find common ground if we're not talking to each other.
42:50And I also understand, you know, in this moment, it feels like no action comes without loud criticism from one realm or another.
43:00And as someone in the public eye, I can tell you it's coming from both sides of the political spectrum.
43:06I met with some of my friends in the Michigan legislature, and someone was talking about how difficult it is to find, you know, common ground and to get everyone on the same page.
43:17And I said, all right, stop trying to do that because you'll never be successful.
43:24I could, you know, demonstrate on the front lawn of the Capitol for four weeks on end, and some people would say I hadn't gone far enough.
43:30Like, just accept the fact that there's always going to be the critic.
43:35But we have a duty, an oath, to try to get things done, to put the welfare of the people of Michigan before our own interests, before our political interests,
43:45and to stay at the table or to find common ground in something, to do the good work.
43:51And I'm sure you've said I'd love to know kind of what you've, any lessons you've gleaned from your experience.
43:58But when I get out and I talk to Michiganders, they rarely ask me about politics.
44:05They're concerned about whether or not they can put food on the table.
44:08They're concerned about whether their child is getting the education and meeting the, being able to have the skills they need to be successful in this life.
44:19When I ran for governor, I got into all 83 counties.
44:22I've done that a couple of times since being governor.
44:25And I try to listen to Michiganders.
44:27I try to ask, what's going on in your life?
44:29What can I do that will make your life better?
44:31If there was one thing I could do.
44:33And it frequently comes back to the economics of trying to get ahead.
44:38That's what unites all of us.
44:40And that's why I wanted to focus on manufacturing and our economic future, because I really do believe we can find common ground there.
44:50I was able to do it with a Republican legislature in Michigan at a time where they controlled both chambers.
44:56And Donald Trump was president at the beginning of my term.
45:00We got some great, big, important things done for Michigan because I come to the table with that philosophy.
45:06And being raised in a household, my dad was a Republican, my mom a Democrat.
45:12I know that if you talk about values, it's a lot easier to see one another and to try to find that common ground.
45:20But when you were able to get those important pieces of legislation done, and I think working with Congress would be so much harder than a state legislature,
45:30anything that was surprising to you or was most important in your success on that?
45:37Being relentless.
45:38But I also feel like there was a commonality of some of the issues, with regard to sexual misconduct, especially.
45:49When I would go into whether it was a Republican or Democratic office, they could hardly wait to tell me stories about what their wife had endured or their daughter, if they were men.
45:58So there was that common ground that you're talking about.
46:01And I'm getting across the finish line is a whole different story.
46:03We'll chat.
46:04But anyway, I do want to focus in on how Democrats feel about this, because a recent CBSU vote poll revealed that 70% of all Democrats want their party to oppose Trump as much as possible,
46:18while only 30% want their party to find common ground.
46:21So what do you say to those 70% in your party who completely disagree with you about bipartisanship?
46:27I get it.
46:28I understand why people feel that way.
46:30I am as, you know, anxious and angry about a lot of the policies that are coming out of Washington, D.C. right now.
46:39I feel that, too.
46:41And I also recognize I got a big job, and that is to run the state of Michigan, a state of 10 million people, many of whom disagree with me about everything that I do.
46:51Some of whom agree with me about a lot that I do.
46:54No one agrees with everything.
46:55And I accept that.
46:58But I took an oath to the people of Michigan to try to get as much done for the state.
47:02Now, people come for our rights.
47:04I'm going to be the first one out there.
47:05People come for your health care.
47:08I'm out there doing work with Congresswoman Debbie Dingell to talk about what Medicaid cuts could mean to individuals, to health systems, to all of our ability to access health care.
47:18I'll continue to do that work.
47:21I will hold people accountable.
47:23I also got to continue to make sure I got a seat at the table so I can try to get important things done.
47:28For instance, today, I've got the Republican Speaker of the Michigan House joining me here in Washington, D.C.
47:34We're going to have some meetings with Cabinet members and at the White House to talk about protecting the Great Lakes.
47:41I don't know if he knows that that's one of the things I want to talk about, but I'm going to.
47:44To talk about, you know, making sure that we are growing our economy and landing good-paying jobs.
47:50We've got some opportunities in the works.
47:52We could use some help.
47:53I want to talk about that.
47:54I'm going to talk about the impact of tariffs.
47:57I don't know that I'll make any ground, but I'm not going to cede the opportunity to talk about something that is important to my state.
48:04And I think it was Pat Schroeder.
48:07I know the quote's been attributed to a lot of different people, but I think it was Pat Schroeder who said it.
48:11But if you're not at the table, you're on the menu.
48:14And my oath to the people of Michigan is to continue to show up, even when it means I'm going to get my, you know, lunch handed to me.
48:23You know, I'm going to keep showing up and keep fighting for the people of Michigan, no matter who is at the other side of the table.
48:30That's my job, and I'm going to do it until my last day as governor.
48:33So speaking of messaging, obviously after this last election, Democrats were sort of flummoxed by what the messaging should be.
48:43And quite honestly, the party's struggling with what the messaging should be to voters.
48:47Your focus in your speeches has been on costs and jobs and roads.
48:52Besides being bipartisan, is that the right messaging for Democrats?
48:56Well, I think everyone needs to listen, not to me, to the people.
49:04I know that I've learned so much by just showing up and asking the question, what's going on in your life?
49:11What do you need?
49:12What are you worried about?
49:14That's what public servants should be doing, not telling people what to be angry about,
49:19but listening and focusing on solving the problems that are vexing the people of this country,
49:25in my case, the people of Michigan.
49:28I'm not going to tell another governor how to run their state.
49:31I'm not going to tell anyone else, you know, how they should talk about issues,
49:35but they should stay focused on the things that matter to the people, and the economy is front and center.
49:41For anyone to think that if you're worried about putting food on the table or keeping the lights on at your home,
49:49that you've got the bandwidth to care about a million other things, maybe they care,
49:53but all their energy is consumed by survival.
49:56And so fixing the roads is not just about making a smoother drive for everybody.
50:03It's about helping people keep more money in their pockets
50:05so they're not shelling out thousands to fix the rim on their car when they've got to pay the rent and child care.
50:13It is about the fundamentals, and I think that's maybe why I got elected in the first place
50:19and why I got reelected by such a large margin.
50:22I'm staying focused on how we can help Michiganders get ahead, keep more money in their pockets,
50:26and have good-paying jobs.
50:30So whether the message from Dems is being bipartisan or changing their mind about transgenders in sports
50:37or talking about jobs and infrastructure, who's going to get it right?
50:43Who is the leader of the Democrat Party?
50:45Well, the Democratic Party only has one true leader when we have the White House.
50:52When we're not, you know, when we don't have the president, there's a lot of leaders in the Democratic Party.
50:57I think I'm really fortunate to have such a great bench of fellow governors that I call my good friends
51:08that, you know, have been really important in terms of helping us navigate historic challenges
51:15from pandemics to the current situation that we are in to leaders in Congress
51:22who play a really important role in terms of what's going on here in Washington, D.C.
51:27So I would say there's very rarely one true leader of the Democratic Party,
51:33and probably the same true on the other side of the aisle, although maybe not in this moment.
51:38But, you know, at the end of the day, we've got to make sure that we stay focused
51:43on the things that matter to the American people.
51:46If we are sidetracked by issues that aren't salient to the average person,
51:54I don't see how we have a different outcome than what we are experiencing now.
51:59And that's why I want to encourage people.
52:02Talking about the economy, talking about good-paying jobs, American manufacturing, solving people's problems,
52:09that's the most powerful way that we can improve the lives of people in this country.
52:15And I think that's what we need to remember.
52:18So at Lift Our Voices, we know how important it is to support all workers.
52:21Are you saying then that your plan is going to get back the working class who went to Trump last time?
52:29Your plan is going to get back independence to decide every election and went to Trump last time?
52:36You know, it's not my plan.
52:38This really is a lesson from our history.
52:42This is an assessment of our reality that we are in right now and where do we want to be.
52:48I think that that's the kind of analysis every one of us should be doing.
52:52We want leaders who are not just focusing on keeping us angry with one another,
52:59but where do we get to where we want to be.
53:02That's what I'm talking about here.
53:03This is about an honest assessment of our challenges,
53:08but also an optimistic view of what's possible,
53:12where we can find a future where every person can get ahead
53:15and be a part of building a country that is a world leader.
53:20I would say we've got a lot of work to do,
53:21and that's what I'm focused on,
53:24a government that is strategic,
53:27that is focused on strength and opportunity for every American,
53:33for every American worker,
53:35where there is a fair shot at a great life,
53:40but also an America that leads the world again on all these fronts.
53:44So you're more than 500 miles away from home getting this big speech.
53:48You could have given it in Lansing,
53:49but instead you chose to do it in the nation's capital.
53:53Is this your way of telling us you are seriously considering coming to D.C.,
53:58perhaps to the 1600 block of Pennsylvania Avenue?
54:01Are you running for president?
54:02No, no, this is my way of saying,
54:06this is similar to his speeches that I've given in Michigan, too, by the way.
54:11This is, I think, a blueprint for success.
54:15This is what we did in Michigan during World War II.
54:19This is what we are capable of as a nation.
54:22We need leadership that stays focused on doing these things
54:28so that Americans can get to work doing the big manufacturing
54:34that we are falling behind on globally
54:36so that we can harness the strength of American companies,
54:42American institutions of education,
54:44and the American workforce.
54:45That's what this is all about.
54:48I desperately want whomever is here in the White House today
54:52or in the future to really be thinking long-term
54:56about how do we build a country that is leaders,
55:01that is revered again,
55:03that is dominant in these industries,
55:06and that has a lifestyle that is the enemy of the world.
55:11That's who we were at one point.
55:13We can be that again.
55:15But I think this is where,
55:17this is what the blueprint should be.
55:21Well, when you do decide to run for president,
55:23I hope you tell this Gretsch first.
55:26You got it.
55:27All right, so big Gretsch, true Gretsch,
55:29Governor Gretchen Whitmer, thank you so much.
55:32Thank you, Gretsch, and I do appreciate it.
55:34Thank you, Gretsch, and I do appreciate it.