Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer delivers her seventh State of the State address in Lansing, Mich., on Feb. 26, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer struck a conciliatory tone through much of her State of the State address Wednesday night as she showcased her 2025 agenda centered on lowering costs for most people in Michigan and helping them find jobs.
But the bite that made her a star among Democrats and one of Republican President Donald Trump’s chief antagonists during his first term wasn’t all gone.
“I’m not looking for fights,” Whitner said during her seventh State of the State, “but I won’t back down from them either.”
With Trump back in the White House and Republicans in control of the Michigan House of Representatives, Whitmer opened her first speech since Democrats lost their trifecta in Lansing with a commitment to work across party lines.
“I took an oath to serve the people of Michigan — all the people. That’s my commitment to you no matter who is in the White House or on the other side of the table in Lansing. Yes, I do hope to find common ground with President
Trump and work with the Democratic Senate and Republican House on our shared priorities.”
A top priority for both parties: The economy. Whitmer jumped quickly to criticize Trump’s 25% tariff on goods from Canada, which is currently on pause.
“I’m grateful that Republicans, Democrats and private sector leaders are speaking out against widespread, 25% tariffs on our neighbors. Because we know saying ‘no’ to Canada means saying ‘yes’ to China. ”
“I’m not opposed to tariffs outright. But they’re a blunt tool when the Michigan economy is on the line. Twenty-five percent tariffs on everything would slow down construction, shutter small businesses, lead to layoffs in the auto industry and cost Michigan families an extra $1,200 a year at the store and at the pump because companies will pass their higher costs on to consumers,” Whitmer said.
Whitmer highlighted the Legislature’s recent deal to preserve the tipped wage rate in the state, while trimming back paid sick leave requirements mandated by the Michigan Supreme court following an outcry from business.
She doubled down on her proposal from last year’s address to calling for additional investment into housing and expanded construction, before calling for a bipartisan solution to help Michiganders struggling with medical debt.
Whitmer also gave House Republicans’ effort to bring further transparency to legislative spending initiatives her seal of approval and told both parties they will need to give up some ground in order to find a long-term solution to repairs the state’s crumbling roads.
“To my friends in the GOP, a long-term fix means new, fair sources of revenue. We can’t cut our way to better roads by slashing public safety, health, or schools. To my fellow Democrats, cuts will need to be a part of the solution. To the business community, we can’t put this on the backs of the middle class.”
Permitting reform efforts create another avenue for bipartisan solutions Whitmer said, noting that the state’s system has been broken for a long time and both parties can agree the state’s process should not take as long as it does.
“This year, I’ll instruct all state departments and agencies who’ve missed their deadlines to refund any permitting fees that we can under the law. But the reality is that I can only refund a handful through executive action alone. To really speed up permitting and save people a lot of time and money, we need to change state law,” Whitmer said.
Whitmer similarly called for changes to the state’s licensing laws after directing the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, or LARA, to review all of Michigan’s regulations and find redundant rules, noting that while she could execute some of the department’s recommendations through executive action, others would require action from the Legislature.
Despite signing bipartisan legislation last fall aimed at improving literacy in the state by requiring teachers to use science of reading strategies and schools to screen for dyslexia, Whitmer acknowledged the state was lagging in student reading scores.
“Just 24% of fourth graders can read proficiently. The same percentage of eighth graders are proficient in math. I get that this is a national trend, but the reality is that we invest more per-pupil than most states and achieve bottom 10 results,” Whitmer said, calling on lawmakers to support the Students, Metrics, And Results with Transparency Plan she’d included in her school aid budget proposal for fiscal year 2026.
The proposal includes targeted investments into schools where most kids are falling behind, changes to get funding into classrooms faster and more transparency to notify parents about school performance.
Whitmer also called on lawmakers to pass bipartisan legislation from State Rep. Mark Tisdel (R-Rochester Hills) limiting the use of cell phones in classrooms.
“We’ve seen encouraging data about how commonsense restrictions on phone use during class lead to more learning and less bullying. Kids listen, raise their hands, and make more friends. They talk during field trips. Three-quarters say they feel happy or peaceful without their phone. That’s what school should be about,” Whitmer said.
While the nation sits in a divisive moment, where America needs a new way forward, Michigan can lead, Whitmer said, “because at our best, we’re strong and kind. And kindness is strength.”
“At a dark moment when bullying and lying seem to be in style, let’s be intentional about putting out light. Let’s welcome challenges, embrace our differences, and work together to get things done,” Whitmer said.