Donald Trump totally humiliated disgraced Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in a made-for-TV moment in Michigan.
While speaking to Michigan National Guardsmen on Tuesday, the president spotted Whitmer in the crowd.
‘I want to thank Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer,’ Trump said.
‘You know, I’m not supposed to do that. She’s a Democrat. They say, don’t do that, don’t have her here. I said, ‘no, she’s going to be here… she’s done a very good job.’
He then called her up in what appeared to be a spur-of-the-moment decision.
‘Well, I hadn’t planned to speak…’ she replied in a cringeworthy moment. ‘But on behalf of all the men and women who have served… I really am damn happy we’re here.’
Earlier this month, Whitmer faced the wrath of her Democratic colleagues for her seemingly friendly appearance alongside President Donald Trump in the Oval Office.
At one point she even raised a folder she was holding to seemingly cover her face from press snapping photos of the unlikely bipartisan meeting.
During a press availability at the White House, Trump on camera praised Whitmer: ‘She’s really done an excellent job, a very good person.’
The president was equally as complimentary on Tuesday.
The Michigan Democrat was meeting with the Republican regarding issues in her home state, including an ongoing ice storm in the north, investments in the Selfridge Air National Guard Base outside of Detroit and an invasive fish in the Great Lakes.
It was her second time meeting with the president since he retook office in January.
But her presence in the Oval Office and Trump’s glowing assessment of the Democratic governor led to members of her party questioning her ability to help lead the party into the 2028 election cycle.
‘Gretchen Whitmer really woke up this morning and said ‘how can I blow up my 2028 prospects as quickly as possible’ and damn she executed perfectly!’ one user wrote on X.
‘Whitmer does not want to be there,’ another X user wrote. ‘Trump did this on purpose.’
Conervative pundit Eric Dougherty wrote: ‘After covering her face up at the White House, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer just welcomed President Trump to her state.’
‘She is not happy her embrace of Trump was just on camera, guaranteed!’ he wrote.
She happened to be sitting down with Trump in the middle of a dramatic day pausing his highly controversial tariffs.
Just a few hours before the Oval appearance, Trump announced he was initiating a 90 day halt of imposing sweeping and steep international tariffs after 75 countries came to the table to negotiate more mutually beneficial trade deals.
Whitmer and Michigan Republican House Speaker Matt Hall already had a meeting set with Trump on the same day.
As a rising voice in the Democratic Party, many think Whitmer would make a good candidate for president in 2028 – a year sure to be flooded with candidates in both the Republican and Democratic primary races.
Whitmer’s team insists she was blind sided by being brought into the Oval Office press conference with Trump.
‘The governor was surprised that she was brought into the Oval Office during President Trump’s press conference without any notice of the subject matter,’ a spokesperson for the governor said in a statement.
‘Her presence is not an endorsement of the actions taken or statements made at that event.’
An image of Whitmer went viral on Wednesday with her standing along the outskirts of the Oval Office leaning against a door and looking wildly uncomfortable.