Governor surprised
Democrat’s bizarre appearance in Trump’s office
Updated on April 13th, 2025 – 05:53 a.m.Reading time: 3 min.
Gretchen Whitmer, Democrat’s hope, was surprised by Donald Trump. He used an appointment with her for PR purposes.
There is currently largely radio silence between the American Democrats and President Donald Trump. In the congress, the Republicans have one, albeit thin, majority. The President does most of the projects about his direct orders anyway without needing a law. The Democrats still have the wound lick after the election defeat.
It is all the more unusual if one of the opposition’s leading figures arrives for a visit to the White House. Gretchen Whitmer, Governor from Michigan, apparently wanted to talk to Trump about topics such as government aid for a basis for the National Guard in her state. This reports several US media.
Such talks usually take place in the Oval Office, the president’s office. That was also the case with this visit. But just as Trump already surprised Wolodymyr Selenskyj in his conversations, the democrat also fared. When she entered the office on Wednesday, not only Trump, but also the press corps of the White House, the Republican spokesman for Parliament, Matt Hall, and government employee. Trump himself was busy signing further executive orders. The governor looked like a disturbing visitor.
That was visibly uncomfortable for her, after all, such a visit is not well received by all of her party colleagues. The 53-year-old tried to protect himself against the photographers from despair and temporarily held up blue files. But that made the situation worse, because a photographer for the “New York Times” caught the motif.
The visit and the bizarre appearance of Whitmer show the dilemma, in which the democratic governors in particular are. In their states, they do not do without the help of the US government, for example in the case of natural disasters. This is also why California’s governor Gavin Newsom had met with President Trump during the devastating forest fires with President Trump. New York’s governor Kathy Hochul and Phil Murphy from New Jersey also met the boss in the White House.
While the meeting in California showed consent, Trump shamelessly took advantage of the visit of Whitmer. “She did an excellent job,” praised Trump Whitmer in the typical kind of kind. “A very good person.” Even if there was also a brief factual discussion according to a report by NBC News, the visit was a “damn disaster”, as a democrat told the broadcaster. The governor’s office tried to brick off. “Your presence does not mean that she is approving the actions or statements at this event,” it said in a message.
video | Trump spokeswoman filmed behind the scenes
But her attempts to negotiate with Trump does not seem to be as well received in her party as NBC News from the Democrats would have learned. However, there was a success: the lakes in Michigan are better protected. “Governor Whitmer thanks President Trump for his commitments to protect the big lakes from invasive carp, for his work in Selfridge and for his openness to our request for help in the north,” said her spokesman.
Trump’s game could also bring him to the bredouille. Because a possible democratic presidential candidate does not like to listen to Republicans, especially not in Michigan. “Trump has just taken the Republicans to Michigan in the butt with praise,” said a party member who wanted to remain anonymous to NBC News. “I mean what the hell, she wants to replace him in 2028.”
