The two interactions between President Donald Trump and a sometime antagonist, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, reflect the Democratic governor's efforts to move past last year's hard-fought campaign and find common ground with the Republican president — at risk of political backlash.

As Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) attempts to find common ground with President Donald Trump, she expects political backlash. Whitmer, who may run for president in 2028, embraced Trump when he arrived in her state on Tuesday.

Donald Trump once again threw Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer into the spotlight after inviting her to speak at an event on his 100th day in office. Trump had appeared at Selfridge Air National Guard Base and was speaking to service members when he praised Whitmer–who was in attendance– for her work to help revamp the air force base.