Gretchen Whitmer Addresses Awkward Oval Office Moment

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) addressed the viral photo of her covering her face while at the White House last week, saying that she was in Washington, D.C., to help her state’s residents get their electricity back.

After delivering a speech Monday at the Detroit Economic Club, James Jacob, the CEO of Ajax, sat down with Whitmer for a Q&A and immediately asked her about her time in nation’s capital. She jokingly held a folder in front of her face, recreating the now-viral photo of her doing the same in the Oval Office.

“Someone asked me what was going through your mind in that moment and it was, ‘I don’t want my picture taken,’” Whitmer said. “That’s all it was. God, I wish I hadn’t put my folder up in front of my face, but whatever.”

She added, “We all have our moments,” before turning serious, telling Jacob that 5,500 Michigan residents are on Day 15 without power after an ice storm hit northern Michigan the weekend of March 28.

Whitmer said she was in D.C. to ensure Michigan can get a federal declaration of emergency and get help.

“I’m just there to fight for the people of Michigan and I’m never going to miss an opportunity to show up and do what needs to be done and I think that’s what public service is supposed to be about,” Whitmer said at the Detroit Economic Club.

Whitmer was invited to the Oval Office while Trump signed several executive orders in front of press, including one directing federal agencies to investigate government officials who questioned his false claim that the 2020 election was stolen. Trump praised Whitmer to the press, telling them she’s a “very good person” and has “really done an excellent job.” A spokesperson for Whitmer told NBC News she was “surprised” she was invited to the executive order signings.

“Her presence is not an endorsement of the actions taken or statements made at that event,” a spokesperson said.

Still the visit attracted critics, according to NBC News. On top of that, after Whitmer’s “Build, America, Build” address Wednesday in D.C., in which she said she agreed with Trump’s “motivation behind the tariffs,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) called her out for it.

“The ‘tariff hammer’ winds up hitting your own hand rather than the nail,” Polis posted Wednesday on X. “Tariffs are bad outright because they lead to higher prices and destroy American manufacturing. Trade is inherently good because both parties emerge better off from a consensual transaction. While sanctions (Russia, Iran) can have a geopolitical national security role, it should always be considered eyes wide open that sanctions harm both ourself and others.”