President Donald Trump visited Michigan on Tuesday to commemorate the first 100 days of his new term with two events, including a large evening rally.
While he emphasized his administration’s early achievements, concerns regarding the economy and his management of it remain prevalent among many Americans.
During a brief address at a National Guard base, Trump highlighted his administration’s investments in defense and praised the foreign policy record of his initial term, spanning from 2017 to 2021.
He commended Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for doing a “great job,” without addressing recent disclosures that Hegseth shared highly sensitive military information with personal acquaintances.
In a rare display of bipartisanship, the president lauded Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, for her pivotal role in “saving” the Selfridge Air National Guard Base northeast of Detroit, where local media had reported concerns about the base’s future last year.
“I’ll be supporting a record-setting $1 trillion investment in our national defense,” Trump stated, speaking before a gathering of troops, along with Whitmer and Hegseth.
During his speech, he announced that the Selfridge base would receive 21 Boeing F-15X jets. Whitmer issued a statement affirming that the move secured the base’s mission and represented a “huge, bipartisan win for Michigan” that would safeguard jobs.
Earlier on Tuesday, aboard Air Force One, Trump signed an order to mitigate the impact of his auto tariffs through a combination of credits and relief from other levies. Meanwhile, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick informed CNBC that he had reached an agreement with an undisclosed foreign power that should permanently alleviate the “reciprocal” tariffs Trump intends to impose.
Trump later addressed an evening rally in Warren, near Detroit. This event, his largest since assuming office on January 20, provided an opportunity for him to showcase what his administration considers its key accomplishments during the initial months of his second non-consecutive term.
The rally also served as a platform for the president to reassure voters in the politically competitive automaking state that he is a sound economic manager.
A three-day Reuters/Ipsos poll, completed on Sunday, revealed that 42% of respondents approved of Trump’s performance thus far, while 53% disapproved. This reflects a decline from the 47% approval rating recorded in the Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in January.
The proportion of respondents who approved of Trump’s economic stewardship stood at only 36% in the latest survey, marking the lowest level observed during his current term or his 2017–2021 presidency.
Fears of a recession have intensified in recent weeks as Trump has initiated a global trade war, imposing tariffs so substantial that economists warn that trade with certain countries — notably China — could nearly cease. These actions have unsettled investors and businesses.
