Trump boosts Rogers, James and other Michigan Republicans at Milford rally

MILFORD TOWNSHIP — Michigan Republicans who have been endorsed by President Donald Trump were given a pre-primary pep talk by the big man himself, as Trump descended on Michigan Monday to talk manufacturing and his record on the auto industry, but to also tout the strength of his anointed candidates — including former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers of White Lake and current U.S. Rep. John James of Shelby Township.

During an hour-long speech at General Motors’ Proving Grounds facility in Milford Township, which was aimed at propping up his accomplishments with manufacturing and the auto industry, but one that also meandered wildly, Trump at one point called up the Republican delegation in Congress, as well as James and Rogers, to share the stage with him. The delegation included U.S. Reps. Tim Walberg of Tipton, Lisa McClain of Bruce Township, and Tom Barrett of Charlotte.

Rogers is seeking the Republican nomination for the open U.S. Senate seat currently occupied by the retiring U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Township). Rogers will sail to victory on Aug. 4 as he faces no primary challenger. His opponent in the race will be either Abdul El-Sayed or U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Birmingham), who are both in the hunt for the nomination on the Democratic side of the race.

On his hand-picked Senate candidate, Trump called Rogers “a great guy” who is “respected all over Washington.”

“He is one of the best candidates we have anywhere,” Trump said of Rogers. “He’s smart. He’s tough. He’s fair.”

Trump also again raised the specter of Michigan’s elections being stolen, not only in 2020 but also in 2024, part of a continuing pattern of election denialism by the president who has, without evidence, asserted mass voting fraud conspiracies. Trump noted that he believed Rogers actually won in his bid for the U.S. Senate last cycle, when in fact he was handily defeated by current Democratic U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Holly.

Rogers thanked Trump for flying into Michigan to help give him and other Republicans a leg up.

“Imagine if, Mr. President, you have a senator who cares as much about manufacturing, especially in Michigan, as you do,” Rogers said with Trump standing behind him. “That’s the change we absolutely need. And when I get back there, Mr. President, I promise you this: I will work with you to protect our families, protect our freedoms, protect our factories, protect our finances. When I get back there, Mr. President, if you haven’t gotten it done, we’re going to pass the SAVE Act.”

Trump endorses John James in Michigan gubernatorial race

James is in a tight race for the GOP nomination in the gubernatorial primary against businessman Perry Johnson. While Trump did not say much about James in the way that he touted Rogers, the president gave him two platforms to speak to rally goers — once in a warmup speech before Trump took the stage and also alongside the president who put his endorsement weight behind James last month.

It was a show of unity and Trump World strength that James, in particular, needs. James also raised the spectre of election fraud in Michigan — which has been disproven as unfounded at every turn — by saying he believed Trump won Michigan in 2020, again offering no evidence.

“Thank you, Mr. President, for coming to Michigan, where you’ve won three times,” James said. “As governor of the state of Michigan, we’re going to be matching those Trump Accounts. We’re going to be taking care of our children, because we have a president who keeps his promises.”

James was referencing the Trump-backed, federal tax-advantaged investment accounts geared toward U.S. children under 18 years of age. They are fashioned as starter individual retirement accounts, with a $1,000 government seed deposit for those born between 2025 and 2028, according to the White House information website that features the plans.

Trump, with Whitmer at his side, announces new fighter wing for Michigan’s Selfridge air base 

James also mentioned the new fighter mission at the Selfridge Air National Guard base in Macomb County, and thanked Trump for making it happen. The deal was also forged in negotiation with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and state House Speaker Matt Hall — who also attended Trump’s rally at the GM facility 

“We have a president who looked at the situation and said, ‘You’re going to have very fast planes in Macomb County,” James said. “I know he did. In the very first 100 days, the president of the United States, President Donald J. Trump, delivered F-15’s to the Selfridge Air National Guard base. The president has always been looking out for Michigan jobs.”

James also thanked Trump for signing his bill to protect the automotive industry against what James called “harmful California mandates,” referring to electric vehicles.

“As a result, jobs are coming back to Michigan,” James said.

As for Johnson, the candidate did not attend Trump’s rally even though he has long professed fealty to the president in his campaign. Johnson has used Trump’s name to promote himself on the campaign trail, despite Trump officially endorsing James. 

Still, Johnson continues to invoke Trump in his campaign materials, and was hosting a Trump-themed tailgate party nearby in Milford at the home of state Rep. Matt Maddock and his wife, former Michigan Republican Party co-chair Meshawn Maddock.

The president’s communications team lashed out at Johnson on social media, noting that only one candidate had Trump’s endorsement, and that was James. Soon after those comments on social media, Trump announced that he was visiting General Motors Proving Ground, which is practically in the Maddocks’ backyard, to show his support for James.

Michigan Democrats punched back against Trump’s rally for his endorsed candidates.

“Michiganders are tired of Donald Trump and his Republican allies like John James, Mike Rogers, Tom Barrett, and Matt Hall making America more expensive, less prosperous, and less secure for working people,” Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel said in a statement. “While Republicans focus on giving handouts to billionaires, the check engine light is on for the rest of America. Today’s speech from Trump was a rambling mess, and Republicans like James, Rogers, and Barrett showed up to support the toxic agenda that’s raising costs on Michigan families. The choice in November couldn’t be clearer.”

Sam Newton, communications director for the Democratic Governors Association, said Michiganders were hurting from James’ votes in Congress “to raise everyday costs, continue an unpopular war, and cut health care.”

“He is focusing his campaign on pandering to Donald Trump’s lies and conspiracies,” Newton said. “ It’s not only pathetic, but also deeply out of touch with the concerns of Michigan voters. If James survives this nasty and expensive GOP primary, it’s never become more clear he’ll be a three-time statewide loser in November.”

Trump misstates auto industry record while promoting tariffs

Prior to his remarks on James and Rogers, Trump spent nearly an hour weaving through personal anecdotes about his love of General Motors, including stories about his father purchasing GM vehicles when he was still alive and Trump was a young man.

Trump then claimed that the U.S., and by proxy the state of Michigan, was building more auto factories and plants than at “any time in the history of our country.”

Federal data from the U.S. Census Bureau, however, shows that manufacturing construction has dropped over the past few years, starting when Trump took office again in 2025.

Trump claimed that — before he took office again following the tenure of former President Joe Biden, and in 2017 following former President Barack Obama — that manufacturers and auto workers were “sold out and betrayed by globalist politicians and corrupt special interests who let other countries steal your jobs, pillage your factories, loot your auto industry from Detroit, and all over our country.”

“Every president before me promised to stop it, but none of them did anything,” Trump said. “They did nothing. But now, at long last, Michigan finally has a president who stands up for Michigan auto workers. … You have a leader.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, national employment in manufacturing for automotive parts and vehicles has dropped steadily since Trump took office again. In June 2025, national employment for the automotive sector’s manufacturing of vehicles and parts (seasonally adjusted) was at 971,000, but dropped to 953,700 jobs in April of this year. In June, that statline had dropped to 946,600 jobs.

Not seasonally adjusted manufacturing of auto parts and vehicles was at 967,100 jobs in 2025 overall, and by June of this year, that figure dropped to 955,500 jobs.

Trump also touted his use of tariffs and what he called a growing economy, including those imposed on Canada, and said that relief from high prices would be coming soon. Trump has claimed, however, through most of his presidency, that prices on groceries and other items were coming down. Prices of gasoline at commercial pumps are also continuing to rise as the U.S. is mired in an on-again, off-again war with Iran, which has complicated oil prices and commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Counter to Trump’s claims, the Center for American Progress, in a report published in February, noted that nearly 4.2 million, or 82 percent, of Michigan electric customers will pay more for their electricity this year due to the Trump administration’s tariffs and grid fortification grant cancellations.

Trump also announced in August 2025 that he was adding tariffs to steel, aluminum and copper to target production of clean energy, which bumped a 50% tariff on steel that is used for wind turbines and copper used for electric vehicles.

In terms of gas prices, AAA last week noted that the national average for a gallon of gas jumped by 15 cents. Most states were averaging $4 per gallon or higher.