“We’re only beginning,” the president declared following a busy first three months marked by high import tariffs, significant federal workforce reductions, and the removal of undocumented immigrants. “The best is yet to come.”
WARREN, Mich. — President Donald Trump returned to Michigan on Tuesday for a rally commemorating his first 100 days in office, revisiting the battleground state that helped propel him to victory and reuniting with the kind of enthusiastic crowds that were a hallmark of his campaign, though he’s avoided them for much of his term.
Billed by his team as a “100th Day in Office Achievement Speech,” Trump used the rally to showcase the fast-paced and sweeping changes he’s implemented over the past three months—transformations to federal staffing and global economic policy that have realigned the country and stirred international uncertainty. The event was staged in an area near Detroit that has seen industrial decline but is also directly impacted by Trump’s trade policies and rhetoric targeting Canada.
“In just 100 days, we’ve delivered the most significant transformation in Washington in a century,” Trump said.
Now into the early months of his second term, Trump has imposed tariffs on imports, shaken global markets, slashed the size of government, advocated for the deportation of undocumented immigrants, floated annexing Greenland, pardoned individuals involved in the January 6 Capitol attack, and banned federal agencies from using paper straws. “We’re only getting started,” he said, stepping onstage to the tune of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA.” “You haven’t seen anything yet.”
A major portion of Trump’s speech centered on immigration, the topic that energizes his core supporters. At one point, he played a video showing migrants being flown in chains to El Salvador. The crowd erupted in chants of “USA! USA! USA!” after the video ended.
The atmosphere was celebratory, resembling a political festival. Vendors sold merchandise labeled “Trump 2028,” implying support for a third term. One ambulance on-site was painted with the slogan “Trump Save the USA.”
The stage was decorated with banners proclaiming “THE GOLDEN AGE,” “100 DAYS OF GREATNESS,” and “THE AMERICAN DREAM IS BACK.”
“I love it,” said Charles Bryant, a 53-year-old former Ford worker from Shelby Township, wearing a “Gulf of America” T-shirt and an inauguration hat. “He’s really stirring things up—tariffs, trade. Nobody knows what’s coming next!”
Before the rally, Trump landed at Selfridge Air National Guard Base and appeared with Democratic Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, whom he’s criticized in the past. Whitmer has long pushed for a new fighter jet mission at the base—a proposal Trump endorsed shortly after landing.
“I want to thank Governor Gretchen Whitmer for bringing this to our attention so strongly,” Trump said. “I’m not supposed to say that—she’s a Democrat. But honestly, she’s done a good job.”
Earlier this month, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer visited the White House to advocate for funding for Selfridge Air National Guard Base—a move that proved politically sensitive for the potential 2028 presidential contender. During her visit, she was brought into the Oval Office for an unrelated event where President Trump signed executive orders, some of which targeted his political opponents. A photo from The New York Times later showed Whitmer attempting to shield her face while observing the proceedings from the edge of the room.
Whitmer later stated she was unaware of Trump’s plans during the event and emphasized that her presence did not indicate support for his actions. While she has joked about the now-viral photo, she also defended her visit, saying working with the president is part of her responsibility to serve Michigan residents.
“I’m really damn happy we’re here to celebrate this recapitalization at Selfridge,” Whitmer said. “It’s critical for Michigan’s economy, for the service members here, for our homeland security, and for our future. I’m incredibly grateful this announcement was made today.”
Though Whitmer attended the event at the base, she did not appear alongside Trump at his rally. Nationally, Democrats continue to struggle with an underwhelming and disjointed response to Trump’s second term.
In Michigan, Rep. Shri Thanedar (D) launched billboard ads around Detroit calling for Trump’s impeachment. However, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) suggested Tuesday that impeachment is not currently a focus for Democrats, citing the Republican grip on both chambers of Congress as a major barrier.
During his rally, Trump mocked Democrats. “They have no confidence anymore as a party. They have no candidates,” he said. He also ridiculed the push for impeachment. “What the hell did I do that they want to impeach me?” he asked to the crowd’s amusement.
Recent polling reflects slipping support for Trump as he hits the 100-day mark of his second term. An NPR-PBS News-Marist poll found 45 percent of Americans gave him an “F” grade, while only 23 percent gave him an “A.” Other responses included 17 percent for a “B,” 8 percent for a “C,” and 7 percent for a “D.”
A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll released Sunday showed Trump’s approval rating at 39 percent—a six-point drop since February. The survey also revealed widespread disapproval of his policies, including 64 percent opposing his handling of tariffs, 57 percent unhappy with how he’s managing the federal government, and 58 percent expressing concern that he’s going too far in cutting its size and scope.
Despite ongoing controversies and criticisms, Trump’s White House shows no signs of shifting course. Aides remain enthusiastic about the trajectory of the administration’s first three months. “Well, I think either we’ve done everything, or it’s in the process of being done,” Trump told reporters before departing the White House for the Michigan rally. He claimed the U.S. border was in “great shape” and ranked the economy among the administration’s top accomplishments.
“We were losing billions of dollars a day on trade,” Trump added. “Now, that loss is minimal, and soon we’ll be turning a profit.”
The Michigan rally marked Trump’s first major campaign-style event since early in his presidency, when he visited Las Vegas. Since then, he has mostly remained in Washington during the week and retreated to his golf properties in Florida or New Jersey on weekends. While he’s appeared at prominent sporting events like the Super Bowl and a UFC fight in Miami, he has yet to resume the frequent rallies that defined his political rise during his first term.
White House officials emphasized that this recent burst of domestic travel — including a scheduled commencement speech at the University of Alabama later this week — does not signal a broader shift in Trump’s habits. They say he still prefers conducting business from the White House, focusing on phone calls, executive orders, and meetings with domestic and international leaders.
The rally itself closely resembled his earlier campaign events, complete with his trademark playlist and familiar attacks on the press. Trump again disputed polling numbers, insisting his approval rating was in the “60s or 70s” — despite most public polls showing it around 40 percent.
Protesters were present outside the venue, and several were removed from inside during the event. Trump remarked on the turnout, claiming a large crowd even though there was still available space and some attendees left before he finished speaking.
Still, the crowd was energized at several points. When Trump appeared to confirm he would serve only two terms, audience members held up three fingers and began chanting “Three! Three! Three!” — a nod to extending his time in office beyond constitutional limits. He also asked the audience to applaud Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and brought senior adviser Stephen Miller onstage to speak briefly.
Trump continued to fixate on President Joe Biden, mentioning him frequently — a trend that has defined his second term. He mocked Biden’s appearance at the beach and conducted an impromptu poll, asking supporters whether to keep calling him “Sleepy Joe” or switch to “Crooked Joe.”
As President Trump wrapped up his 90-minute speech, the song “YMCA” blasted through the speakers, prompting him to perform his trademark arm-pumping dance moves to the rhythm.
The speech capped off a week-long effort by the White House to spotlight Trump’s first 100 days in office, which included early-morning press briefings, media appearances, and visual displays. Among the latter were signs posted along the White House driveway showing undocumented immigrants convicted of crimes.
Earlier in the day, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent led a morning briefing to promote the administration’s economic agenda. However, he was vague about when new trade agreements might be finalized, indicating that while progress has been made with several countries, negotiations are still in progress.
Bessent noted “very good progress” with India, said a potential agreement with South Korea was taking shape, and confirmed substantial discussions with Japan. Still, he repeatedly declined to give a timeline or confirm whether any deals were near completion.
He also asserted that the U.S. holds leverage over China—an idea Trump echoed during an Oval Office interview with ABC News. Trump claimed China would absorb the impact of the tariffs and acknowledged that Americans might face some economic uncertainty.
“I talked about this during my campaign,” he said when questioned about possible economic hardships. “We won the campaign decisively. All seven swing states. We even won the popular vote by a wide margin. I said these things then.”
While Trump consistently promoted tariffs as part of his campaign platform, he had previously dismissed concerns about rising consumer prices, saying in a debate last September, “Prices won’t go up.”
When asked more recently if he foresaw economic difficulty, Trump replied, “I don’t think so. I think great times are coming.”
In response to Michigan’s economic challenges, the White House also announced a tariff relief policy for automakers. Under the plan, car manufacturers will be temporarily exempt from certain tariffs if their vehicles are assembled in the U.S. This exemption, which includes imported parts, is meant to ease the transition to increased domestic manufacturing and will phase out over three years.
Foreign automakers will also benefit, provided they build vehicles within the United States—a move intended to incentivize shifting more production to American soil.
“We just want to give them a little time to adjust,” Trump told reporters. “If they’re struggling to get specific parts—which only applies to a small number—we didn’t think it was fair to penalize them.”
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