Authorities in Pontiac, Michigan, likely stopped a mass shooting at a high school graduation ceremony earlier this week, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard revealed on Friday.
On Tuesday, Sheriff&#8217;s deputies were called to break up a fight at the Arts and Technology Academy of Pontiac graduation, and after arriving, were told about a shooting threat posted on social media, The Detroit News <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/oakland-county/2025/06/06/sheriff-seeks-suspect-in-foiled-mass-shooting-at-pontiac-graduation/84070198007/">reported</a>. Aided by security footage from the United Wholesale Mortgage&#8217;s Sports Complex, where the graduation was taking place, authorities discovered that two men had placed packages underneath vehicles. Both packages contained handguns with 40-round magazines.
&#8220;When you combine that with the post that had been seen, that someone planned to shoot up this graduation, in our business we call that a clue,&#8221; Sheriff Bouchard said. &#8220;These weren’t brought to be simple accessories. &#8230; I believe we probably prevented a mass shooting.&#8221;
&#8220;Just those two weapons, without changing magazines, had 80 rounds of potential firepower,&#8221; Bouchard added. &#8220;Shooting into a graduation, you can only imagine the outcome of that.&#8221;
Deputies arrested a 19-year-old suspect, but are still looking for 20-year-old Jamarion Hardiman, a person of interest in the alleged mass shooting plot, according to The Detroit News. The Snapchat post where the threat was made has been taken down, but <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/mass-shooting-thwarted-michigan-high-school-graduation-one-suspect-arr-rcna211473">according</a> to people who saw the post, it mentioned &#8220;going to shoot up the crowd,&#8221; according to Bouchard.
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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer <a href="https://x.com/GovWhitmer/status/1931057752744587505">said</a> on Friday that her &#8220;office has been in touch with local officials. I am grateful to first responders for acting fast and saving lives in Pontiac.&#8221;
The graduation ceremony proceeded after only two minutes of disruption, according to Septembra Williams, superintendent of the Arts and Technology Academy of Pontiac. Both of the suspects in the alleged shooting threat &#8220;have a history of being involved with weapons and violence,&#8221; and the 20-year-old person of interest is currently on probation for a previous weapons case, according to Sheriff Bouchard.
Authorities do not believe that either of the two suspects attended the Arts and Technology Academy of Pontiac, but they likely had family and friends at the graduation ceremony.
In November of 2021, Oxford High School — less than 20 miles north of Pontiac — was targeted in a mass shooting, where a teenage shooter killed four students and wounded seven other people.

Police

Mass Shooting At Michigan High School Graduation Ceremony Thwarted By Authorities, Sheriff Says

Crime

Mass Shooting

Michigan

Shooting

U.S.

A 37-year-old Muslim man from Michigan who planned to “even the score” and use guns for “God&#8217;s wrath” after threatening Jewish preschoolers pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Hassan Chokr, of Dearborn, Michigan, “aggressively targeted Jewish parents and their preschool children at a local synagogue in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. After unleashing a menacing antisemitic tirade against them, he lied and attempted to buy several firearms at a Dearborn gun store,” the Department of Justice <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmi/pr/hassan-chokr-pleads-guilty-illegally-possessing-firearms-after-antisemitic-tirade">stated</a>.
“In December 2022, Chokr, 37, drove through the parking lot of a Jewish synagogue as parents walked their preschoolers into the building, yelling profanities and attacking their support for Israel,” the DOJ noted. “After being asked to leave, Chokr drove to a gun store in Dearborn. While there, he possessed a Landor Arms, 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun; a Del-ton, 5.56mm rifle; and a Glock, 9mm semi-automatic pistol. He held each firearm, and at times pointed it and pulled the trigger. After deciding to purchase the three firearms, Chokr lied about his eligibility to possess firearms by indicating that he had never been convicted of a felony offense when in fact, he had been convicted of a felony several years prior. While awaiting the results of the background check, Chokr indicated that he would ‘even the score’ and use the guns for ‘God’s wrath.’”
“Chokr’s attempt to purchase several deadly firearms in an apparent attempt to follow through on his menacing threats against parents and preschoolers as they walked into a place of worship represents every American’s worst nightmare,” United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. stated. “And we will not allow anyone to terrorize our Jewish neighbors. We are committed to protecting every American and their right to live and worship free of fear.”
Temple Beth El in Bloomfield Hills, the purported synagogue where the children were targeted, was the <a href="https://www.tbeonline.org/about-us/history/">first</a> Jewish congregation in the state of Michigan, established in Detroit in 1850. The site moved to Bloomfield Hills in 1973.
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Chokr, whose case was investigated by the FBI, faces a maximum sentence of up to 15 years’ imprisonment.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Islamist Hassan Chokr, 35, from Dearborn, Michigan, plotted a mas*acre at a Jewish daycare and tried to illegally obtain assault weapons after threatening preschoolers. While out on bail, he drove through the parking lot of Temple Beth El near Detroit, shouting threats at… <a href="https://t.co/0KZG7dnYyX">pic.twitter.com/0KZG7dnYyX</a>
&mdash; Open Source Intel (@Osint613) <a href="https://twitter.com/Osint613/status/1929818438995759474?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Two young children covering themselves with flag of Israel. Standing on the meadow at sunset. Rear view.

Muslim Felon Threatened Jewish Preschoolers Then Tried To Buy Guns: DOJ

Department of Justice

Felony

Guns

Jews

Muslims

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he will “look at” issuing pardons for two men convicted of conspiring to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2020.
Trump floated the potential pardons while taking questions from reporters in the Oval Office. The president said that he thought the two men – Barry Croft, 49, and Adam Fox, 42 – may have been “railroaded” by the FBI and prosecutors.
“I will take a look at it. It’s been brought to my attention. I did watch the trial. It looked to me like somewhat of a railroad job, I&#8217;ll be honest with you,” said Trump. “It looked to me like some people said some stupid things, you know. They were drinking, and I think they said stupid things, but I&#8217;ll take a look at that.”
“A lot of people are asking me that question from both sides, actually. A lot of people think they got railroaded. A lot of people think they got railroaded, and probably some people don’t,” he added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Q: &#8220;Will you pardon the people who are accused of conspiring to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer&#8221;&#8221;
President Trump: &#8220;I will take a look at it. It&#8217;s been brought to my attention. I did watch the trial. It looked to me like somewhat of a railroad job.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/sO5dkFu5Vh">pic.twitter.com/sO5dkFu5Vh</a>
— CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1927769909955527137?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
A jury convicted Croft and Fox in August of 2022 of conspiring to kidnap Whitmer and of conspiring to obtain a weapon of mass destruction. Croft was found guilty of an additional weapons charge.
Croft was sentenced to just under 20 years in prison with an additional five years of supervised release. Fox was sentenced to 16 years in prison with five years supervised release.
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The case against Croft and Fox was mired in controversy and embarrassment for the FBI. The two men were convicted on their second trial after the first ended in a mistrial. At the first trial, two other alleged co-conspirators, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta, were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-orders-new-trial-for-whitmer-plot-alleged-masterminds-after-fbis-humiliation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">acquitted</a> after their attorneys argued that the FBI tactics used during the investigation amounted to entrapment.
Two other men, Ty Garbin and Kaleb Franks, had earlier pleaded guilty in connection with the conspiracy.
Much of the controversy around the FBI investigation into the plot to kidnap the governor revolved around two confidential human sources used by the FBI to gather evidence, Jenny Plunk and Steve Robeson. Both <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/whitmer-kidnapping-plot-fbi-informant-slept-in-the-same-room-smoked-weed-with-defendant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">smoked</a> marijuana with Croft during the investigation, a federal crime. Plunk also shared a hotel room with Croft at one point, raising further questions about the limits of the behavior of confidential human sources.
At one point during the investigation, the alleged conspiracists appeared to be headed for a split until FBI agent Christopher Long stepped in. Long <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fbi-worked-to-keep-alleged-conspiracist-in-violent-group-headed-for-split" target="_blank" rel="noopener">directed</a> Plunk to try to keep the group of men together.

Donald Trump

Trump To ‘Look At’ Pardons For Men Imprisoned Over Whitmer Kidnapping Plot: ‘Railroad Job’

Executive

Gretchen Whitmer

Stellantis, one of the world’s largest automotive manufacturers, announced on Wednesday a $388 million investment to develop a two-million-square-foot parts distribution facility in Wayne County, Michigan. 
This “megahub” will feature an automated storage system, called AutoStore, which utilizes robots to efficiently retrieve and deliver parts to workstations, aiming to enhance speed and accuracy in parts processing. The hub will serve as a central facility for Stellantis’ Mopar parts operations, and will support about 488 union-represented jobs, honoring the company’s commitment to support union labor.
In an X post on Thursday, the White House’s &#8220;Rapid Response&#8221; account <a href="http://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1925627671670624374" target="_blank" rel="noopener">credited</a> the “TRUMP EFFECT” for the investment. The facility, which will launch in 2027, will be located in Van Buren Township.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly pressured automakers to build cars and manufacture parts in America. His <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/both-countries-will-become-stronger-trumps-trade-deal-will-give-u-s-more-access-to-u-k-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trade agreement</a> with the United Kingdom imposed a 10% tariff on U.K. exports to the United States, while keeping American automakers at a 25% tariff for vehicles and parts manufactured outside of the country. 
Stellantis said this new investment, as well as the sale of their parts distribution centers in Center Line, Marysville, and Milwaukee, is part of a “broader consolidation strategy,” CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/stellantis-388-million-investment-metro-detroit-hub/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Employees from the Center Line, Warren, and Warren Sherwood, Michigan, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, parts facilities will be moved to the new “megahub,” while workers from the Marysville, Michigan, center will be moved to the Warren and Warren Sherwood facilities.  
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<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/stellantis-388-million-investment-metro-detroit-hub/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to</a> CBS News, Darren Bradshaw, senior vice president and head of Mopar North America, said in a statement that their customers are counting on them. 
“With the Metro Detroit Megahub, we&#8217;re building a faster, smarter and more reliable parts distribution network that puts their needs first,” he said. “This investment reflects our commitment to innovation, sustainability and operational excellence, while also creating a modern, high-tech workplace for our employees.”

Inauguration Of Hybrid And PHEV Vehicles Stellantis Group eDCT Assembly Plant In Turin

White House Celebrates Major U.S. Car Company Developing $388 Million Metro Detroit ‘Megahub’

Auto Companies

Detroit

Tariffs

Michigan Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel said on Monday that Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, also a Democrat, violated campaign law when she announced her 2026 gubernatorial bid in a government building in January. According to Nessel&#8217;s office, however, the state law does not provide any mechanism for punishing Benson, who oversees elections and campaign finance, The Detroit News <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2025/05/19/michigan-dana-nessel-finds-secretary-of-state-jocelyn-benson-violated-campaign-finance-law-governor/83726371007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
On January 22, days after she accidentally posted her campaign announcement on social media, Benson officially launched her 2026 bid for Michigan governor inside the Richard H. Austin Building, which houses the Department of State in Lansing. As The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/michigan-dem-secretary-of-state-launches-bid-for-governor-hours-after-accidental-announcement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> at the time, Benson was criticized for likely violating Michigan law, which <a href="https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-169-257" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prohibits</a> “a person acting for a public body” from using “funds, personnel, office space, computer hardware or software, property, stationery, postage, vehicles, equipment, supplies, or other public resources to make a contribution or expenditure or provide volunteer personal services.”
Nessel&#8217;s office wrote on Monday that Benson &#8220;invited members of the press inside the Austin Building&#8221; and then &#8220;conducted a press conference, professionally dressed, during the day, in the lobby of the building that houses her office.&#8221;
&#8220;She gave no indication that would lead a reasonable person viewing the press conference to believe that she was there on her &#8216;personal time.&#8217; Instead, the circumstances would lead a reasonable person to believe that Secretary Benson was acting as Secretary of State with the authority of the Department of State, which is a &#8216;public body,&#8217; to invite members of the press inside her office building,&#8221; the attorney general added.
Those who break the law are guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to up to a year in prison or a fine of up to $1,000. Despite finding that the Democratic gubernatorial candidate broke the campaign law, the Michigan Department of Attorney General said it cannot impose a fine or civil penalty on Benson because the law excludes the secretary of state, according to <a href="https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2025/05/19/attorney-general-jocelyn-benson-broke-campaign-finance-law-governor-campaign/83726457007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Detroit Free Press</a>. The attorney general&#8217;s office said that the &#8220;unequal treatment&#8221; in the law &#8220;is something the Legislature may want to consider addressing.&#8221;
Nessel&#8217;s office did not respond to a Daily Wire request to comment.
Michigan Republican state Rep. Jay DeBoyer told The Daily Wire that he disagrees with the attorney general&#8217;s conclusion that the office cannot pursue a punishment for Benson. The law gives the Secretary of State&#8217;s office the obligation to refer the attorney general&#8217;s findings back to the AG for a punishment, according to DeBoyer.
&#8220;If the secretary of state chooses not to refer this, that is an absolute dereliction of duty,&#8221; DeBoyer said.
&#8220;The opinion that was put out by the attorney general&#8217;s office, although finding that there was a violation, seemed to hedge in the direction of &#8216;There&#8217;s nothing we can do about it,'&#8221; he added. &#8220;There actually is, but it requires the secretary of state&#8217;s office to operate in an ethical manner and do what they should do, which is refer this to the attorney general&#8217;s office.&#8221;
Aric Nesbitt, the Michigan Republican Senate minority leader also running for governor, blasted Nessel&#8217;s office, telling The Daily Wire that the attorney general is protecting &#8220;her Democrat ally.&#8221;
&#8220;While AG Nessel, the top law enforcement official in the state, targets Trump with ridiculous lawsuits, she shields her Democrat ally from accountability,&#8221; Nesbitt said. &#8220;This double standard reeks of partisan bias, undermining election integrity. Michiganders deserve an attorney general who enforces the law, not one who holds herself and her allies above it.&#8221;
Benson&#8217;s campaign communications director, Alyssa Bradley, said on Monday, &#8220;We understand the Attorney General is issuing a new interpretation of the law.&#8221;
&#8220;We look forward to continuing the conversation with Michiganders about Jocelyn Benson&#8217;s vision to make our state the best place to be a kid, raise a kid, and call home by lowering housing costs, making our schools among the best in the nation, and standing up for our rights and freedoms,&#8221; Bradley added.
Benson defended her decision to announce her bid inside her office building in January, saying she didn&#8217;t want people to stand outside in the <a href="https://world-weather.info/forecast/usa/lansing/january-2025/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">frigid</a> Michigan winter weather. She also argued that other candidates could use the space for campaign announcements, a carve-out in the campaign law that would put Benson in the clear. Nessel&#8217;s office rejected that argument, writing that her &#8220;belief was misplaced.&#8221;

Jocelyn Benson

Michigan Dem AG Finds Dem Secretary Of State Violated Campaign Law, But Won’t Punish Her

2026 Midterms

Attorney General

Elections

Politics

A 19-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday and charged with planning a mass shooting at a U.S. military base in Warren, Michigan, &#8220;on behalf of ISIS.&#8221;
According to the <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/michigan-man-arrested-and-charged-attempting-attack-military-base-behalf-isis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DOJ</a>, Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said told two undercover law enforcement agents that he formulated a plan to attack the U.S. Army’s Tank-Automotive &amp; Armaments Command (TACOM) facility in Warren. The suspect was arrested after the two undercover agents indicated that they were ready to carry out Said&#8217;s plan and scheduled the attack for May 13. Said was detained after launching his drone near the base.
The suspect is accused of providing &#8220;material assistance to the attack plan, including providing armor-piercing ammunition and magazines for the attack, flying his drone over TACOM to conduct operational reconnaissance, training the undercover employees on firearms and the construction of Molotov cocktails for use during the attack, and planning numerous details of the attack including how to enter TACOM and which building to target.&#8221; TACOM is part of the Detroit Arsenal, which is <a href="https://installations.militaryonesource.mil/in-depth-overview/u-s-army-garrison-detroit-arsenal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">home</a> to 144 active-duty Army soldiers and 8,000 Department of Defense civilian employees or contractors.
Said of Melvindale, Michigan, joined the Michigan Army National Guard in September 2022 and trained at Fort Moore in Georgia, according to the criminal complaint. After being sent to the Michigan Army National Guard Taylor Armory, he was discharged in December of 2024, but the complaint did not say why, ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/former-national-guardsman-allegedly-plotted-isis-inspired-attack/story?id=121797139" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. He began planning the mass shooting at the TACOM facility in November of 2024, according to the complaint.
“The arrest of this former soldier is a sobering reminder of the importance of our counterintelligence efforts to identify and disrupt those who would seek to harm our nation,” said Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox, the commanding general of Army Counterintelligence Command.
Said faces charges of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information related to a destructive device, according to the DOJ. He made his first court appearance on Wednesday in the Eastern District of Michigan and faces 20 years in prison for each count if he is convicted.
“ISIS is a brutal terrorist organization which seeks to kill Americans. Helping ISIS or any other terrorist organization prepare or carry out acts of violence is not only a reprehensible crime – it is a threat to our entire nation and way of life,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. for the Eastern District of Michigan. “Our office will not tolerate such crimes or threats, and we will use the full weight of the law against anyone who engages in terrorism.”

Abrams Tank

Former Army National Guardsman Charged With Planning Mass Shooting At U.S. Base ‘On Behalf Of ISIS’

ISIS

Terrorism

U.S. Army

Michigan Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel dropped all charges against seven University of Michigan students on Monday, a twist that shocked defense attorneys after Nessel had pushed for felony charges against the anti-Israel protesters.
The seven students faced misdemeanor charges of trespassing and felony charges of resisting and obstructing police stemming from an anti-Israel protest on Michigan&#8217;s campus last year, The Detroit Free Press <a href="https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2025/05/05/michigan-attorney-general-dana-nessel-drops-all-charges-university-michigan-diag-protesters/83452242007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The courtroom, which was packed with people supporting the anti-Israel students, erupted in cheers and chants of &#8220;Free Palestine&#8221; when it was announced that the charges had been dropped.
Last September, Nessel pushed for the felony charges against the students, which could have put them behind bars for up to two years if they had been convicted. The attorney general alleged that the protesters used &#8220;physical force to counter&#8221; police officers who were attempting to clear them out of the area.
Nessel, who is Jewish, was pressured to recuse herself from the case last month as critics alleged that she was biased against Muslims. Nessel said that a letter from the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor defending her amid the accusations influenced her decision to drop the charges. The Democratic attorney general claimed that the letter — which said that Nessel &#8220;has a strong history of uplifting those in both the Muslim and Arab American communities&#8221; — was inappropriate.
&#8220;We have learned that a public statement in support of my office from a local nonprofit has been directly communicated to the court,&#8221; Nessel said. &#8220;The impropriety of this action has led us to the difficult decision to drop these charges.&#8221;
The defendants, Oliver Kozler, Samantha Lewis, Henry MacKeen-Shapiro, Michael Mueller, Asad Siddiqui, Avi Tachna-Fram, and Rhiannon Willow, were also surprised by the decision and will now walk away from the charges in this case. Lewis, who said she faces charges in a separate case over another protest, mocked the attorney general, saying that &#8220;the possibility of recusal was going to be so embarrassing for Nessel that she just couldn&#8217;t bear it.&#8221;
&#8220;And so while all of us, and that includes all of you, refused to cower, she did. And that just goes to show that the bullies and badges and the top pig are just cowards,&#8221; Lewis told a group of her supporters.
The University of Michigan called in police to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/police-break-palestinian-camp-university-michigan-rcna153229" target="_blank" rel="noopener">break up</a> an anti-Israel encampment on its campus last May as university leadership faced calls to push back on antisemitism at the school. Michigan was one of the numerous universities where anti-Israel students set up camp in the spring of 2024, disrupting campus life and forcing schools to ask law enforcement for help in dispersing the protesters.

Dana Nessel

Michigan Dem AG Takes Shocking Turn, Drops Charges Against UM Anti-Israel Protesters

anti-Israel

antisemitism

Courts

Protesters

Protestors

University of Michigan

Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer had nowhere to hide when President Donald Trump called her to the podium to address National Guardsmen in Michigan on Tuesday.
Whitmer met Trump at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in southeast Michigan, where the president stopped during his 100 days celebration to announce that the base, which was at risk of shutting down, would receive a new fighter squadron. During his remarks, Trump thanked the governor for her work &#8220;trying to save&#8221; the base, and then asked her to speak.
Whitmer approached the podium and said she &#8220;hadn&#8217;t planned to speak&#8221; at the event.
&#8220;I am really damn happy we&#8217;re here to celebrate this recapitalization at Selfridge,&#8221; she added. &#8220;It&#8217;s crucial for the Michigan economy, it&#8217;s crucial for the men and women here, for our homeland security, and our future.&#8221;
&#8220;So thank you,&#8221; Whitmer said, looking back at Trump. &#8220;I am so grateful that this announcement was made today, and I appreciate all the work.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Whitmer: I had not planned to speak but… https://t.co/35mCWzkywY
&mdash; Acyn (@Acyn) <a href="https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1917320346950328502?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Whitmer&#8217;s appearance at the Trump event followed her trip to the Oval Office earlier this month, where she was photographed while appearing to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gretchen-whitmer-mocked-for-trying-to-hide-her-face-from-cameras-in-oval-office?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Gretchen+Whitmer+Mocked+For+Trying+To+Hide+Her+Face+From+Cameras+In+Oval+Office" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hide her face</a> with a binder. She later said she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/whitmer-responds-to-folder-gate-after-shes-caught-hiding-from-white-house-camera" target="_blank" rel="noopener">regretted</a> putting her folder in front of her face and laughed about the embarrassing photo, adding, &#8220;We all have our moments.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Gretchen Whitmer temporarily shielded herself from the cameras when she was in Trump’s Oval Office, per this photo from NYT’s <a href="https://twitter.com/erjlee?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@erjlee</a><a href="https://t.co/TFDPPnci7Q">https://t.co/TFDPPnci7Q</a> <a href="https://t.co/hnLnvuQvlX">pic.twitter.com/hnLnvuQvlX</a>
&mdash; bryan metzger (@metzgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/metzgov/status/1911078950865903648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Michigan governor, who has been a fierce critic of Trump and Republicans, received some kind words from the president, who said that &#8220;the reason she came&#8221; to the White House was to try to save Selfridge.
&#8220;She was very effective, along with some of the other politicians and some of the military people who love this place,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;So I want to also thank Governor Gretchen Whitmer for bringing it to our attention very strongly. And you know, I&#8217;m not supposed to do that. She&#8217;s a Democrat. They&#8217;d say, &#8216;Don&#8217;t do that, don&#8217;t have her here.&#8217; No, she&#8217;s going to be here. She&#8217;s done a very good job, frankly.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> addresses Selfridge Air National Guard Base: &quot;For decades, they&#39;ve been trying to save this facility&#8230; I want to thank <a href="https://twitter.com/GovWhitmer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovWhitmer</a> for bringing it also to our attention very strongly&#8230; She was very much involved with the Republicans. They worked together on saving it.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/TcQ3HxXN8E">pic.twitter.com/TcQ3HxXN8E</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1917318771754041825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Whitmer, a potential 2028 presidential contender, was criticized by some on the Left for embracing Trump when he arrived at the base. She took to social media to explain her actions and appearance at the Trump event, writing, &#8220;Bipartisanship isn&#8217;t about sacrificing our values.&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;ll work with anyone who&#8217;s serious about getting things done. But I&#8217;ll never compromise on what I believe. In Michigan, we know how to get things done—and that means working together,&#8221; Whitmer <a href="https://x.com/GovWhitmer/status/1917250428464415062" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> on X.
&#8220;I&#8217;ll work with anyone to move our state forward. But let me be clear: I will never back down from protecting our fundamental rights, defending our democracy, or fighting for every Michigander&#8217;s future,&#8221; she added. &#8220;Bipartisanship isn&#8217;t about sacrificing our values. It&#8217;s about standing strong and finding common ground to get things done. It&#8217;s about putting people first, every single time.&#8221;

Trump Makes Whitmer Show Her Face At Michigan Event

National Guard

President Donald Trump rallied in Michigan on Tuesday night in celebration of his 100 days in office, pointing to actions he has taken, from securing the border to cracking down on woke ideology.
Speaking to thousands at Macomb Community College in Warren, Trump touted the accomplishments of his administration, promising that he was &#8220;just getting started.&#8221; His speech came after he addressed service members at Selfridge Air National Guard Base alongside Democrat Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
&#8220;We&#8217;ve accomplished more in three months than most administrations accomplish in four years or even eight years—and we&#8217;re just getting started, believe me,&#8221; Trump said, urging Congress to pass a &#8220;big, beautiful bill&#8221; that would deliver the largest tax cuts in American history, and ban taxes on tips and overtime.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &#8220;We&#8217;ve accomplished more in 3 months than most administrations accomplish in 4 years or even 8 years—and we&#8217;re just getting started, believe me.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/HYoYm74yDI">pic.twitter.com/HYoYm74yDI</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1917353832566382716?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Trump also touted his actions to secure the border, pointing to the low number of illegal crossings, a dramatic reversal from the record high number of illegal aliens that crossed in under previous President Joe Biden. He said that while Democrats promised &#8220;mass migration&#8221; and &#8220;mass invasion,&#8221; he was delivering &#8220;mass deportation.&#8221;
Trump also pointed to his actions to eliminate DEI from the federal government and the pressure his administration was putting on schools to drop gender and racial ideologies.
&#8220;I ended all of the lawless so-called Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion bulls*** all across the entire federal government and private sector,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And I made it the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders: male and female!&#8221;
He touted actions he took to keep men out of women&#8217;s sports and push to end transgender medical procedures on children.
&#8220;I also proudly banned the use of puberty blockers &#8230; all these mutilations of our minor youth, I banned it all,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I signed executive orders to abolish Critical Race Theory and transgender insanity from our schools and from our military.&#8221;
Other highlights of his speech included comments in support of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who he described as a &#8220;tough cookie&#8221; in the face of &#8220;fake news attacks,&#8221; and promises that trillions of dollars were being invested by major companies into the American economy.
&#8220;Trillions of dollars are now pouring into the United States because of common sense,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Apple, great company, was building everything in China. Now they just announced that they’re spending $500 billion to invest in America, not in China.”
Trump&#8217;s speech addressed the rash of district court judges attempting to block many of his actions, asking the Supreme Court to reign in the lower court judges.
“We cannot allow a handful of communist, radical Left judges to obstruct the enforcement of our laws and assume the duties that belong solely to the President of the United States,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;Judges are trying to take away the power given to the president to keep our country safe.&#8221;
Trump praised the people of Michigan, a state that was critical to both his 2016 and 2024 victories, near the close of his speech.
&#8220;We stand on the shoulders of red-blooded Michigan Patriots — what great people, I love you, Michigan — who laid the railroads, worked the factories, tilled the field, forged the steel, fought the battles, and won the victories that built the Motor City and made this state into the pride of the American Midwest,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;Michigan is the state that gave us the assembly line, Motown, Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, and put the world behind the wheel of an automobile — and under our leadership, we are making it greater every single day.&#8221;

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Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer has waited over three months to call a special election for a vacant state legislature seat, leaving hundreds of thousands of residents without representation, but ensuring her party&#8217;s slim control over the legislature.
Whitmer&#8217;s delay is being blasted by Michigan Republicans as a political trick to keep the GOP from gaining a seat in the state senate. The district&#8217;s previous state senator, Democrat Kristen McDonald Rivet, was elected to the U.S. House in November. With the vacancy, Democrats maintain a one seat majority in the body, 19-18.
&#8220;It&#8217;s all politics,&#8221; Republican Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt said in an interview with The Daily Wire. He argued that Whitmer is delaying the special election because Republicans have a shot at winning the seat.  The 35th state Senate District is a competitive electoral region that encompasses Bay City, Midland, and Saginaw.
&#8220;Right now, there are 270,000 people who have gone without a senator for going on four months now,&#8221; said Nesbitt, who is running for Michigan governor in 2026. &#8220;And who knows how much longer Whitmer is going to deprive them of representation.&#8221;
Whitmer, who has been the target of criticism after she was photographed hiding from cameras in the White House, has addressed the delay, but she hasn&#8217;t given any specifics on when she will officially schedule the election. The governor told <a href="https://radio.wcmu.org/local-regional-news/2025-04-08/whitmer-confirms-35th-district-special-election-will-happen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WCMU</a> last week, &#8220;At some point there will be one, but I don&#8217;t have an announcement to make yet.&#8221;
“I haven&#8217;t made a determination yet,” she added. “There are a number of times in the year that we could call it for, and I just haven&#8217;t made a decision yet, but I&#8217;ll let you know as soon as, as soon as I do.”
The governor&#8217;s office did not respond to The Daily Wire when asked if Whitmer was planning on announcing a special election date soon. Michigan <a href="https://legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-168-641" target="_blank" rel="noopener">law</a> leaves the scheduling of special elections to fill vacancies completely up to the governor, and there is no deadline for how soon a special election must be called.
Republicans suspect that Whitmer&#8217;s political calculations are likely the reason for the delayed special election. Whitmer is in the final year and a half of her second term, a stretch that could prove pivotal for the Democrat&#8217;s legacy and future political aspirations. Keeping Democrats ahead of Republicans by one seat for as long as possible could be a preferable option for the governor instead of risking a GOP pickup in a special election.
&#8220;You gotta remember, a year and a half ago — November of 2023 — Whitmer <a href="https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/news/press-releases/2023/11/22/whitmer-calls-for-special-election-to-fill-vacant-house-seats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> a special election for two state House Democrat seats within two weeks after the November municipal elections, when the House got tied 54-54,&#8221; Nesbitt added.
Republicans are confident that they can pull off a win in the 35th District, relying on the momentum gained by President Donald Trump in 2024, who won Saginaw, Bay, and Midland Counties. Michigan Republicans also took control of the state House in the 2024 election.
Republican state Rep. Bill Schuette, who represents all of Midland County, told The Daily Wire that Whitmer&#8217;s delay &#8220;is a disservice to the people of the entire region,&#8221; adding that holding a special election as soon as possible shouldn&#8217;t be a partisan issue.
&#8220;It&#8217;s about representation,&#8221; he said.
&#8220;I&#8217;ve heard from small businesses and people in our community as well who are seeing our budget being debated, and they say, &#8216;Hey, we only have half of a voice when our state&#8217;s multi-billion-dollar budget is being debated,&#8221; Schuette added. &#8220;That&#8217;s not fair.&#8221;
Whitmer has been blasted for focusing on her recent book tour and potential 2028 presidential aspirations while still serving as governor. The governor was the subject of ridicule last week when she visited Trump in the Oval Office but hid her face behind a folder as members of the media attempted to snap photos of her.
&#8220;Her most recent comment about the special election is she hasn&#8217;t had time to make a decision yet. Well, you know what she has had time to do? Go on trips to the United Kingdom and Ireland and Spain,&#8221; Schuette said. &#8220;We all saw her hiding her face in the Oval Office. How about doing your job here at home, calling a special election and giving people their voice?&#8221;

‘All Politics’: Michigan’s Whitmer Delays Pivotal Special Election As Dems Hold Slim Majority

'All Politics': Michigan's Whitmer Delays Calling Important Special Election As Dems Barely Hang Ont

2024 Election

Former Republican Congressman Mike Rogers is running for Senate again in Michigan, jumping into the race on Monday to fill the seat of retiring Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat.
Rogers said in his announcement video that Michigan &#8220;for too long&#8221; has &#8220;been represented by two-faced politicians who say they&#8217;re moderates but vote as radicals when they get elected.&#8221; Michigan has not elected a Republican to the Senate since 1994, and last November, Rogers became the latest candidate in a long line of Michigan Republicans who failed to win back a Senate seat for the GOP when he lost to Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin by more than 19,000 votes.
&#8220;As your next senator, I won&#8217;t just represent Michigan, I&#8217;ll fight for it,&#8221; Rogers said. &#8220;I&#8217;ll stand with President Trump, and we will deliver on the mandate given to him by the American people.&#8221;
&#8220;For me, it will always be America and Michigan first, rewarding hard work and investing in the skilled trades, cutting wasteful spending, lowering the costs of gas, groceries, and prescription drugs,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Alongside President Trump, I&#8217;ll fight to bring good, high-paying manufacturing jobs back to Michigan, and I guarantee we&#8217;ll protect Social Security for our seniors.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
President Trump needs strong allies in the Senate to help him deliver on the mandate given by the American people. 
That means bringing manufacturing jobs back to Michigan, protecting seniors’ social security, lowering the costs of gas, groceries &amp; prescription drugs, and… <a href="https://t.co/MBNn5gcZ4t">pic.twitter.com/MBNn5gcZ4t</a>
&mdash; Mike Rogers (@MikeRogersForMI) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeRogersForMI/status/1911736873946317227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, threw his support behind Rogers shortly after the Michigan Republican announced his run for Senate.
&#8220;Mike will always put Michigan first, fight for the needs of working families, and stand up to communist China,&#8221; Scott <a href="https://x.com/votetimscott/status/1911738722401255471" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> on X. &#8220;Michigan is a battleground state, and with @MikeRogersForMI as our candidate, I know we will add this seat to President Trump&#8217;s Senate Majority in 2026.&#8221;
Rogers is the first high-profile Republican to jump into the 2026 Senate race. Tudor Dixon, the GOP&#8217;s 2022 gubernatorial nominee, is considering a Senate bid, but she has yet to make a decision. On the Democratic side, state Sen. Mallory McMorrow announced her run for the seat earlier this month. Michigan Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel is also considering a run. Former presidential candidate and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who recently moved to Michigan, ruled out a Senate run last month.
Rogers was endorsed by then-candidate Donald Trump in the 2024 election and appeared with him multiple times during campaign rallies in the Great Lakes State. Trump won Michigan over former Vice President Kamala Harris by more than 80,000 votes on his way to the White House, but Trump&#8217;s strong showing in the swing state didn&#8217;t trickle down the ballot enough to pull Rogers across the finish line.
Before he spent time in the U.S. House from 2001 to 2015, Rogers served in the U.S. Army and worked as a special agent for the FBI. He was also interviewed to potentially become the FBI director after Trump fired James Comey in 2017.

Mike Rogers

Former Michigan GOP Congressman Launches 2nd Senate Bid After Coming Up Short In 2024

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