DETROIT, MI – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer warned Thursday, Jan. 15, that tariffs and global competition, particularly from China, threaten Michigan’s auto industry during her keynote address at the Detroit Auto Show.
Speaking during her final auto show as governor, Whitmer said the auto industry has faced unprecedented disruption over the past year, citing rising costs, workforce shortages, supply chain challenges and shifting federal trade policies.
“Tariffs have their place, but they won’t magically restore American manufacturing,” Whitmer said. “Without a clear strategy, they hurt us more than our adversaries.”
Whitmer said U.S. manufacturing has contracted for nine straight months, leading to job losses and production cuts, and argued that unpredictable national policies have created instability for industries that rely on long-term planning. She called for a strategic national trade policy that encourages innovation, lowers costs and provides regulatory certainty…