President Donald Trump visited Michigan to mark the first 100 days of his new term with two events, including a large evening rally.
While he highlighted his administration’s early achievements, concerns about the economy and his handling of it remain high among many Americans.
Speaking briefly at a National Guard base, Trump touted his administration’s investments in defence and praised the foreign policy record of his first administration, from 2017 to 2021.
He said Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was doing a “great job”, without mentioning recent disclosures that he discussed highly sensitive military information with several personal acquaintances.
“I’ll be supporting a record-setting $1 trillion investment in our national defence,” said Trump, speaking before dozens of troops, as well as Whitmer and Hegseth.
During the speech, he said the base in Selfridge would be receiving 21 Boeing F-15X jets. Whitmer said in a statement that the move secured the base’s mission and was a “huge, bipartisan win for Michigan” that will protect jobs.
On Air Force One earlier on Tuesday, Trump signed an order to soften the blow of his auto tariffs with a mix of credits and relief from other levies.
Trump later spoke at an evening rally in Warren, near Detroit. That event, his biggest since assuming office on January 20, was an opportunity for him to tout what his administration sees as his core achievements in the opening months of his second non-consecutive term.
The event will likely also be an opportunity for the president to reassure voters in the politically competitive automaking state that he is a good economic steward.
