Whitmer delivers ‘Build, America, Build’ address in Washington D.C.
MICHIGAN (WNEM) – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, April 9, to make her first major address in the nation’s capital.
Dubbed “Build, America, Build,” she spoke on the impact American innovation has on the health of our economy.
Whitmer’s remarks echoed her vision of using bipartisanship to grow manufacturing and protect national defense.
During her remarks, Whitmer wanted to highlight the cooperation between the state and federal government to deliver on top economic priorities for the Whitmer administration.
“When America innovates and when America builds, America wins,” she said.
Whitmer said she wanted to emphasize the impact the manufacturing industry has on the health of our economy. She said when we build, more people have access to affordable housing, better roads, and more transit options. When we don’t build, people leave, creating talent gaps in key resources like public safety and education.
“Reindustrialization could have huge ripple effects, since manufacturing has the highest economic multiplier of any sector. Every dollar spent to make something triggers a chain reaction of material purchases, job growth, and supply chain, and more economic growth,” the governor said.
This was part of her “Build, America, Build” address. Whitmer said despite the political division we see on the surface, there has been a real, bipartisan effort below deck to bring manufacturing back home.
She used the example of state-funded roadwork to help Vantage Plastics build a new factory in Bay County that’s now home to 93 good-paying jobs.
“This is a very purple part of Michigan—Donald Trump won this area three times and I carried it twice. A few weeks ago, Vice President Vance visited the finished factory. He spoke there and he said, and I quote, ‘Making things, building things, working with our hands is America’s heritage.’ I agree with this,” Whitmer said.
She wants to keep this going by making more ships, planes, and semiconductor chips in America. She said it’s time to cut red tape and unleash the extraordinary potential of American industry all in an effort to give more hardworking people a fair shot at a decent life, and usher in, as Trump says, a “Golden Age” of American manufacturing.
“We’ve got a lot going for us, but our future is uncertain. We have good cards, but good cards alone don’t mean jack if you don’t play them right. This year and in the years to come—no matter who’s in the White House—let’s bet on American workers. We need to bring chip manufacturers back home. So, let’s dominate the seas, and the skies, and the roads, and let’s innovate and let’s build together,” Whitmer said.
She said she is not opposed to tariffs outright but believes a one-size-fits-all approach to tariffs will hurt our progress on making more ships and planes in America, increasing costs for domestic manufacturers and allowing China to advance in shipbuilding while catching up to us in aviation.
Whitmer wants to see Trump be strategic and tariff the technology we want to make in America or industries where we already have a sizeable competitive advantage, such as energy and automobiles.
Subscribe to the TV5 newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email every day.
Copyright 2025 WNEM. All rights reserved.
