Tipsheet

This Interview Answer Might Wreck Michigan Gov. Whitmer's 2028 Presidential Run

Scott McClallen
Scott McClallen  |  February 15, 2026 1:00 PM

When Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was asked a question about foreign policy while attending a national security conference, she waffled. 

If she runs for president in 2028, this clip will probably haunt her. 

Whitmer was asked: “On Ukraine: What does victory look like? 

She tried to divert the question to a Trump appointee, who asked to hear Whitmer’s answer. 

“It is, I, the, two, the two that I am on the panel with are much more steeped in foreign policy, than is, than a governor is. But, you know, I do think that Ukraine’s independence, keeping their land mass, and having the support of all allies, I think, is the goal, from my vantage point. Go ahead, ambassador, do a better job." 

The term-limited governor attended a foreign policy conference in Munich, but Whitmer struggled to answer basic questions. So why did Whitmer travel over 4,000 miles out-of-state if she couldn't answer basic questions?

In 2025, Whitmer spent her time in office traveling the globe on the taxpayer dime as she preps for a 2028 presidential run. She spent $1 million on international travel in 2025, traveling to Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and Canada. She's used to being protected by the Michigan media, but it looks like other media will press her on tough questions. 


As bad as Whitmer's answer was, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY, also gave a terrible answer reminiscent of Former Vice President Kamala Harris. 

However, AOC gathered her thoughts long enough and called for a "wealth tax."

“I don’t think that—I—I don’t think that anyone—and we don’t have to wait for any one president to impose a wealth tax. I think it needs to be done expeditiously,” Ocasio-Cortez said.