SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 15 (Our Michigan Times) — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says President Donald Trump helped complete a fighter-jet mission at Selfridge Air National Guard Base after she was unable to get the project finished during the Biden administration.
Whitmer described the project in a conversation with California Gov. Gavin Newsom. She said the plan to replace retiring A-10 aircraft with F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets was “a huge deal to Michigan.”
The project is based in Michigan, while the reported conversation involved Newsom, the state’s governor. The available reporting does not identify the name of the podcast or where the recording took place.
What is planned at Selfridge?
Selfridge, in Macomb County, is a Michigan Air National Guard base. The planned mission would replace the base’s aging A-10 aircraft with F-15EX jets, a newer fighter aircraft made by Boeing.
Whitmer and several news reports have described the planned fleet as 21 jets. A Defense Department document shared with Michigan senators, as reported by The New York Times, described approximately 20 F-15EX aircraft and said they were expected to begin arriving in 2028.
The difference in the descriptions reflects the information available in the public reporting. The supplied materials do not include the underlying Defense Department plan or a final authorization document establishing the exact number.
What did Trump announce?
Trump announced the new mission during an April 29, 2025, event at Selfridge attended by Whitmer. He also credited Whitmer with advocating for the base.
“She came to meet with me specifically to advocate for the preservation of Selfridge,” Trump said, according to remarks reported by The Hill. “She was quite effective.”
Whitmer’s office called the announcement a bipartisan win for Michigan. The office said the mission would support jobs, the state’s economy and national security.
Politico reported that Whitmer’s office estimated the project could produce about $850 million in economic benefits for Michigan. The available information does not provide a detailed breakdown of that estimate.
Why does Whitmer credit Trump?
In her discussion with Newsom, Whitmer said she had tried to secure the fighter mission during the Biden administration but could not get it “over the finish line.” She said she ultimately got it done with Trump.
That is Whitmer’s account of the negotiations. The available records do not explain which steps were taken during the Biden administration, why the effort stalled or what specific federal action finalized the mission under Trump.
The announcement shows how a state-level project can depend on federal defense planning. The Defense Department controls the broader military basing and aircraft decisions, while state officials can advocate for a base and emphasize its economic and strategic value.
What is not yet clear?
The available reporting does not identify a roll-call vote, a specific congressional authorization or the precise budget mechanism for the aircraft mission. It also does not establish whether the final fleet will contain exactly 21 jets or approximately 20.
For Michigan, the immediate significance is the preservation and modernization of a military mission at Selfridge. The planned aircraft, expected to arrive beginning in 2028, would replace the base’s retiring A-10s and are projected by Whitmer’s office to bring economic benefits to the state.
