Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, one of the Democratic Party’s most prominent state leaders, warned in a speech on Wednesday that President Trump’s trade war could have calamitous effects but was careful not to blame him directly as she embraced a bipartisan message.
“Tariffs need to be used like a scalpel, not a hammer,” Ms. Whitmer said in Washington, at an event space near the White House. “Unfortunately, it’s unclear how this is going to strategically benefit the American economy or the American consumer. And I think that’s the big problem.”
During her address and while responding to questions from Gretchen Carlson, the former Fox News anchor, Ms. Whitmer sought to thread a political needle, avoiding direct criticism of Mr. Trump or his administration — a notable contrast with the blunter attacks on the president made by other top Democrats seen as potential presidential contenders in 2028.
She included encouraging anecdotes about meetings she has had in Michigan with Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, even as she cautioned that the administration’s policies could cause an economic collapse. Ms. Whitmer described Mr. Trump’s approach to tariffs as unstable, unpredictable and damaging to corporations that rely on economic stability and steady governance.
“Some days it is negotiable; some days, it’s this percentage or it’s this percentage,” she said of the president’s tariffs. “This will have a paralyzing impact on the economy. And if you think that a company or a country is paying that tariff, you’re being misled. It is the consumer that ends up paying the cost, and it is really, it’s a tax.”
More than a dozen times during her 31-minute speech, Ms. Whitmer described herself or her policy proposals as bipartisan, or called for elected officials from opposing parties to work together to encourage more manufacturing jobs.
“There’s a lot more common ground here than we think,” she said. “While partisanship has infected every aspect of our lives, driven by opportunistic politicians, cynical media figures, and addictive algorithms, our people are not as divided as our politics.”
She emphasized areas in which she agreed with Mr. Trump and said she had come to Washington with the Republican speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives to meet with top congressional Republicans and White House officials.
Ms. Whitmer’s measured tone stood out as other top Democrats — including governors who, unlike her, face re-election next year — sound alarms not just about Mr. Trump’s tariffs but also about the president himself.
When Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania gave a speech last week in Bethlehem, Pa., he was more direct in blaming Mr. Trump for economic pain caused by the tariffs.
“I’m not sure why the president of the United States wants to do this to our small businesses, wants to harm our main streets,” Mr. Shapiro said. “This tariff war that he is starting, this button that he is pushing, is going to have one effect, and that effect is to drive up costs on consumers and businesses throughout Pennsylvania.”
Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois has sought to label the tariffs “Trump’s tax on working families.”
And Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, during an appearance on MSNBC, said Mr. Trump was directly responsible for damaging the American economy.
“I think the biggest myth perpetuated on this country is that Donald Trump understands anything about business,” Mr. Walz said. “He’s bankrupted every single one he’s been into and now he’s bankrupting this country.”
Democrats have shown new energy in recent weeks. The party and its liberal allies won a $100 million contest last week for a pivotal seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, conducted the first mass street protests against the Trump administration over the weekend and has shown strength in special elections.
At the same time, the party has shown a growing consensus that its best path forward is not to make a Bill Clinton-esque argument of harvesting the best ideas from both parties, but to mount fierce opposition to a billionaire class newly empowered by Mr. Trump.
Ms. Whitmer appears to be taking a different approach. She warned that elected officials would get nowhere if they tried to harvest fury without a longer-term plan.
“We want leaders who are not just focusing on keeping us angry with one another, but where do we get to where we want to be,” Ms. Whitmer said. “That’s what I’m talking about here.”
