PODCAST:
May 28, 2026 ~ Gov. Gretchen Whitmer joins Paul W. Smith live from the Mackinac Policy Conference.
LANSING ~ Gov. Gretchen Whitmer flip-flopped on whether she was ruling out a presidential run in 2028 Thursday, walking back on a statement where she seemingly said she would not run.
During a panel discussion at the Mackinac Policy Conference, Whitmer said, “You know, I never thought I would run for governor, so I guess I should know better than to say any of it,” in response to a statement earlier in the day. “Never say never.”
She later added that she currently has “nothing to announce.”
This came mere hours after she told Fox 2 Detroit, “I think there will be a robust group of people running for president. I will not be one of them in 2028.”
Whitmer, who is term-limited out of office this year, has long been considered a potential Democratic candidate for president, with her name recognition raised significantly in recent years partly due to public spats with President Donald Trump.
