President Trump paid a visit to Detroit, Michigan to tour a Ford assembly plant that is spearheading efforts to manufacture ventilators and personal protective equipment (ppe). The employees at the Ford plant visited by President Trump, some of whom went on unemployment after the passage of the CARES Act, have been crucial in manufacturing critical resources on a completely voluntary basis. Many of these assembly workers elected to forgo additional unemployment funds in order to manufacture PPE at the plant.
President @realDonaldTrump is at @Ford's Rawsonville Plant!
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 21, 2020
America's workers make our Nation proud! ???? pic.twitter.com/XrOLd14mQ8
President Trump also met with community leaders and lawmakers in Michigan to discuss the path forward, including GOP Senate candidate John James. The Michigan businessman, Army veteran and rising star in the Republican Party is running to unseat Sen. Gary Peters (D) in November.
Today I had the privilege of meeting with our President, @realDonaldTrump & asked him to not just keep bringing jobs back to America, but bring them back right here to MI. We have the workforce, now we need the training, the data & the jobs to emerge even stronger #MichiganFirst pic.twitter.com/7Hj8XVXJgr
— John James (@JohnJamesMI) May 21, 2020
President Trump expressed support for James, hoping to gain another seat in the GOP Senate majority:
Trump closes his remarks at 30 minutes, includes a quick shoutout to U.S. Senate candidate @JohnJamesMI
— Malachi Barrett (@PolarBarrett) May 21, 2020
"Good luck John James, thank you for being here. We're gonna have a great senator."
Rather than reach across the aisle, in support of his Michigan constituents suffering economic and physical distress from COVID-19, Sen. Peters fundraised via a fear-mongering email to supporters, and took to Twitter to ask for funds on account of President Trump's visit to Michigan.
When push comes to shove, if you are “2000%” with the Trump agenda, you are not going to stand up for Michigan.
— Gary Peters (@GaryPeters) May 21, 2020
Mitch McConnell doesn’t need another rubber stamp in the Senate.
I've been fighting for Michiganders all my life. Join us: https://t.co/Hm4L9XUu2R https://t.co/VrSHvNo8wj
James’ campaign called out Sen. Peters’ partisan behavior and use of COVID-19 to fundraise:
“Gary Peters is a career politician who votes with Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi nearly 100% of the time. Today his ultra-partisanship is on full display. While I am meeting with President Trump and Michigan community leaders to help underserved communities, Gary Peters is more concerned with lining his campaign coffers,” James said in a release. “Sadly, it’s what we’ve come to expect from career politicians. It’s a very Washington move. Peters will continue to look out for himself, not Michigan.”
Also notably absent from President Trump’s visit to Michigan was Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), who is vying for Joe Biden’s vice presidential tap.