Trump in Michigan: President to visit General Motors' Milford Proving Ground today
Trump in Michigan: President to visit General Motors in Milford
President Donald Trump is coming to Milford today to tout his economic plans which have helped the auto industry while stumping for his endorsed Republican candidates ahead of the Aug. 4 Primary.
FOX 2 - President Donald Trump visits Michigan later today and the timing comes the same day as the Gordie Howe International Bridge's opening – which his administration battled over, renegotiated terms over, and some say, intentionally delayed.
Dig deeper:
Trump, however, isn't headed to Detroit, rather to make a visit to General Motors at the Milford Proving Ground to defend sweeping tariffs and tout his help to the Big Three automakers.
This afternoon his message is expected to focus on manufacturing and job growth. The president says his tax cuts protected 170,000 jobs here in Michigan, crediting tariffs as the catalyst.
Trump will also be on hand to stump for Republican candidate for governor John James and US Senate candidate Mike Rogers. The Michigan Primary is Aug. 4, although early voting is already underway by mail.
What they're saying:
Hunter Lovell from the Republican National Committee, spoke about the importance of Michigan as a battleground state.
"Michigan is a critical battleground. There are, you know, four or five toss-up states on the map that are in play that Democrats think they can take back," he said. "Michigan being one that they absolutely have to keep, but with Mike Rogers who ran in 2024, lost a very close race to Senator Elissa Slotkin."
Republican gubernatorial candidate Perry Johnson missed out on Trump's endorsement, but is holding a "Trump Tailgate" outside the president’s GM appearance.
Michigan Democrats respond:
Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel, Jr. released a statement about Trump's visit, claiming it was an attempt to save face with the economy damaged by the administration's policies.
It reads in part, "Trump and his allies are coming to Oakland County to try and spin their cost-raising record, but no amount of lies or lip service will make up for the fact that Michiganders are hurting, and (Mike) Rogers, (John) James, (Perry) Johnson, and (Michael) Bouchard Jr. backed every price-hiking policy that got us here."
Will Trump visit the Gordie Howe Bridge?
While it is usually hard to predict the president's next move, it is unlikely.
The visit comes the same day as the long-awaited bridge's opening to traffic from Detroit to Windsor, but the timing appears to be a coincidence.
Take for instance, the ribbon-cutting ceremony which was scheduled for June 12, but was abruptly postponed after officials said the United States and Canada were still working to resolve "outstanding issues." On Friday the event was a Canada-only event.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens quipped that if the former Red Wings and NHL icon for which the bridge is named for were still around, Trump would be at the top of Howe's list of people to body-check.
Trump for his part, fired off a Truth Social post claiming the terms of the bridge toll collection were renegotiated, although this has yet to be made clear or proven.
"Canada disinvited the United States of America to the opening of the Gordie Howe Bridge, which is fine, considering they are paying substantial TARIFFS to the United States, but the original Deal on the Bridge, which was terribly negotiated by a previous Administration, no longer stands," he said in a Truth Social post. "We changed the terms of the Deal so that the United States of America now gets 50% of the Profit."
What is the Milford Proving Ground?
The massive site has over 150 miles of test roads for GM across 4,000 acres with 150 buildings.
Innovation technologies are tested there by GM workers who average about 15 million miles there every year, according to the company.
General Motors first bought the land back in 1923 for about $100,000.