Officials in Macomb County, Michigan, have put up billboards touting the acquisition of new fighter jets at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in advance of President Donald Trump’s visit on Tuesday afternoon.
The president chose the county, which voted for him in November by an approximate 56-44 percent margin, to discuss his administration’s trade policies and other efforts during its first 100 days. Tucked within a crucial battleground state, Macomb played a pivotal role in tipping the election, flipping the state back to Trump and helping to deliver him the White House.
Trump arrived on Air Force One Tuesday afternoon at Selfridge to tout his announcement of the acquisition of the jets prior to speaking to supporters at Macomb Community College in Warren, one of the state’s largest cities by population and one known for its automotive and defense manufacturing—known colloquially as the Arsenal of Defense.
Whitmer’s Delicate Dance With Trump
Michigan’s Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer was planning to be at Selfridge, her press secretary Stacey LaRouche told Newsweek on Tuesday morning, emphasizing that she was there “to support her troops and the long-standing effort she has made to secure support for Selfridge.” However, Whitmer was not scheduled to attend Trump’s later rally.
In the backdrop of Trump’s Tuesday visit is Whitmer’s appearance at the White House several weeks ago—a meeting with the president that sparked backlash among progressive Democrats, who viewed it as legitimizing a president they believe should be resisted at every turn.
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Although Whitmer’s meeting was aimed at advocating for Selfridge support, it exposed a deepening divide within the Democratic Party, one that Trump’s visit could threaten to widen even further.
A source within Whitmer’s office said the governor has repeatedly stated she “disagrees with much of what Trump has done in his first 100 days and wouldn’t be there to support that,” but unease lingers within Democratic ranks.
Local Leaders Applaud the Investment
Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel, a Democrat, said he and Republican Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller—a former U.S. House member who served 14 years—had anticipated Trump’s announcement. Ahead of the visit, billboards across Macomb County, which borders Oakland and Wayne counties, promoted Selfridge and prominently featured both Hackel and Miller.
“We’ve been talking about these fighters,” Hackel said. “There’s no question Selfridge is the place for it. The state of Michigan, whether it was the prior governor, that being Rick Snyder, a Republican, or the current governor—they have understood the importance of Selfridge right here in our own backyard.”
Hackel added that support for Selfridge transcends party lines: “There isn’t a congressional, state or local elected official, along with the general public in all the defense and military industries around here, that isn’t supportive of fighting for the fighters, getting the replacement mission.” He also credited Whitmer’s recent appearance at the White House, saying it helped spur momentum and nearly prompted Trump to make an announcement even earlier.
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On Monday, Michigan’s Democratic U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin co-authored a letter to Trump urging him to base a new fighter mission at Selfridge. In January, the pair touted the U.S. Air Force’s selection of Selfridge as host to a new squadron of 12 KC-46A refueling tankers.
“Selfridge has enjoyed bipartisan support from the Michigan Congressional delegation, state and local leaders and the Macomb County community to recapitalize the 107th Fighter Squadron’s A-10 aircraft with an advanced fighter,” Peters and Slotkin wrote. “Your announcement is an important step towards realizing our long-held goal and we are ready to work with you, the Department of Defense and the Air Force to identify and base a new advanced fighter mission at Selfridge.”
Newsweek reached out to both senators ahead of Trump’s visit.
Miller credited bipartisan lawmakers for continuing to push for aircraft at Selfridge, notably due to the soon-to-be-retired A-10s. She said the Trump administration is doing something that the previous administration under former President Joe Biden could not.
“Quite frankly, I’m just gonna tell you the truth because I’ve been part of these discussions: The Biden administration and the secretary of the Air Force told us, ‘It’s not in the cards. It’s not happening. You’re not getting a fighter mission at Selfridge,'” Miller said.
“So, we have been shut down. We were all pretty convinced that that was going to be the end of it. But now with this administration, it’s not the end of it. In fact, it’s the beginning.”
She said the need presents a strategic opportunity for not just the region and state, but the nation. That could mean working with Canadian partners at the northern border, or simply bolstering defense against adversaries like China and Russia.
“We’re really perfectly positioned to advantage ourselves and, most importantly, how we are and continue to be for generations a critical component of our national defense posture,” Miller said.
Some Dems Focus On Results—but Tensions Remain With Progressives
Curtis Hertel, chair of the Michigan Democratic Party, said Democrats statewide “have proven time and again that they’ve never given up on their values and are always willing to do what it takes to get s*** done for Michiganders.”
“Leadership means showing up and advocating for our great state to bring jobs and relief to countless families, and our leaders are walking the walk,” Hertel said. “Let’s be clear: Michigan Democrats have made historic gains to pass much-needed policy, including free breakfast and lunch, gun violence prevention, reproductive and gay rights, cutting taxes, and so much more that help Michiganders every single day.
“We understand that when we unite behind a strong message, focused on Michiganders’ pocketbooks, we can win in every corner of this state, up and down the ballot.”
But despite establishment Democrats’ focus on tangible gains, voices on the progressive left remain deeply skeptical of any engagement with Trump—and see the Selfridge announcement as political theater that does little to address deeper economic anxieties.
“It’s frankly been an economic disaster, particularly for people in Macomb County,” said Mark Brewer, who spent nearly 20 years as chair of the Michigan Democratic Party. “We have autoworkers being laid off, factories in the process of shutting down, and production moving to Mexico. He hasn’t stopped any of that—and if anything, it has gotten worse.”
Asked about Peters and Slotkin—the latter of whom wrote Monday on X about working together “for the sake of the country”—Brewer said he wishes Democrats would be a bit tougher.
“You don’t get anywhere by placating this guy [Trump],” Brewer said. “He’s a bully. And if you try to placate him, he just comes back for more. You deal with bullies by standing up to them. And I wish our Democrats were doing more of that.”
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Brewer also said that the Selfridge announcement won’t stop Michigan workers from losing their jobs because of tariffs—or factories from moving to Mexico.
“Because of the economic chaos he’s introduced, I’m sure he’s going to try to distract people today with some shiny baubles. Maybe he’ll say, ‘Oh, we’re going to give you some fighter jets at Selfridge.’ But that doesn’t put food on the table, doesn’t pay rent, and doesn’t provide Social Security checks. I think he’s going to be desperately spinning about his first 100 days.”
Gina Keller, vice chair and communications director of Fems for Dems, a Michigan-based group focused on voter turnout, echoed that sentiment.
“More broadly, Democrats should not be legitimizing or cooperating with Trump—even in limited, state-focused contexts,” Keller said. “He has shown time and time again that he does not act in good faith. You can’t negotiate with someone who uses public resources as political weapons and routinely undermines democracy. There’s no such thing as ‘normal’ politics with a fascist.”
Republicans Take Credit
Republican Michigan Congressman John James had a different message on Selfridge.
“Congressman John James has been a fierce champion of Selfridge Air National Guard Base from day one, relentlessly fighting for its strategic role as a part of our national security,” Hannah Osantowske, James’ communications director, said. “Congressman James is committed to the president’s agenda of Making America Lethal Again, which includes ensuring that our Michigan National Guard warfighters have the resources and backing they need to protect our nation.”
She added: “Part of this has included staunch advocacy with the president and secretary of defense for recapitalization of a fighter mission at Selfridge. Any momentum, any victory, comes straight from President Trump’s iron resolve.”
