DETROIT ~ Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer called for renewed collaboration and bold innovation during her keynote address at the Detroit Auto Show Thursday, warning that isolationist trade policies could undermine Michigan’s auto industry as global competition intensifies.
“This is my last show as governor,” Whitmer told attendees. “While I have the mic, I got some things to say.” She acknowledged challenges such as tariffs, supply chain disruptions, and workforce shortages, but stressed that Michigan remains the nation’s leader in auto manufacturing and electric vehicle investment.
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Jan. 15, 2025 ~ Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer delivers her final keynote at the Detroit Auto Show, outlining the state’s strategy for the auto industry in 2026. Hear her remarks on tariffs, global competition, clean energy, workforce development, and her support for renewing the USMCA trade pact.
(CONTINUED) Whitmer criticized tariffs as an incomplete solution to restoring American manufacturing, saying, “Tariffs have their place, but they won’t magically restore American manufacturing. In fact, without a clear strategy, they hurt us more than our adversaries.” She urged lawmakers to pass the state budget on time and expand the Michigan Reconnect program to residents 21 and older, while announcing a new executive directive to explore geologic hydrogen as a clean energy source.
The governor also emphasized the importance of trade agreements and cross-border partnerships, particularly with Canada and Mexico. “When we say ‘no’ to Canada, we say ‘yes’ to China,” Whitmer said, referencing her support of renewing and strengthening the USMCA trade pact. “The American auto industry of 2025, let alone 2050, cannot exist on an island. To compete against our adversaries, we have to collaborate with our friends.”
Whitmer closed by urging industry leaders and policymakers to embrace cooperation over isolation. “Do we want to win together? Or risk losing, going it alone?” she asked. “Collaboration is a strength, not a weakness. We must work together to keep assembly in Michigan as much as possible to protect good-paying union jobs.”
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