SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 15 (Our Michigan Times) — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said President Donald Trump helped complete a fighter-jet mission at Selfridge Air National Guard Base after the effort stalled during the Biden administration.
The plan calls for replacing retiring A-10 aircraft with F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets. Whitmer described the mission as “a huge deal to Michigan” during a conversation with California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
What is planned at Selfridge?
Selfridge, a Michigan Air National Guard base in Macomb County, is expected to receive a new fighter mission beginning in 2028. Trump announced the plan at the base on April 29, 2025, while Whitmer attended the event.
The announcement described a fleet of 21 F-15EX jets. A Defense Department document shared with Michigan senators and cited by The New York Times described the plan as approximately 20 jets. The supplied records do not resolve the difference.
The F-15EX Eagle II is a newer fighter aircraft intended for air-superiority and other combat missions. The new mission would replace Selfridge’s A-10 aircraft, which are being retired.
Why does Whitmer credit Trump?
Whitmer said she had tried to secure the mission during President Joe Biden’s administration but could not complete the effort. “I got a fighter mission at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, and I tried to get that done under the Biden administration, couldn’t get over the finish line, but I got it done with him,” she said.
Her account does not explain which steps were taken during the Biden administration, why the effort stalled or what specific federal action finalized the mission.
Trump also credited Whitmer with advocating for the base. At the April 2025 announcement, he said: “She came to meet with me specifically to advocate for the preservation of Selfridge. She was quite effective.”
The exchange was notable because Whitmer is a Democratic governor and Trump is a Republican president. But the policy result, rather than the partisan labels, is the central issue for Michigan: the base is set to retain a fighter mission and receive newer aircraft.
What could the project mean for Michigan?
Whitmer’s office called the initiative a bipartisan win that would support jobs, the state economy and national security. The office projected about $850 million in economic benefits for Michigan.
That figure is a projection from the governor’s office, not a reported final economic tally. The supplied material does not identify the calculation behind it.
The plan also matters to the future of Selfridge. A new aircraft mission can support military personnel, maintenance work, training and related activity around the base. The available records, however, do not provide a detailed jobs estimate or a schedule for construction and aircraft deliveries.
What remains unclear?
The supplied sources do not include the underlying Defense Department announcement, a federal authorization document or a budget document showing how the mission was approved. They also do not identify a vote or other legislative action tied to the plan.
The number of aircraft remains described in two ways: 21 in Trump’s announcement and Whitmer’s account, and approximately 20 in the Defense Department document reported by The New York Times. The final number and delivery schedule would need to be confirmed by the Defense Department or the Michigan National Guard.
Whitmer’s remarks to Newsom provide her account of the negotiations, but the supplied material does not include a transcript or recording of the full conversation. Newsom’s role in the discussion was to hear Whitmer’s explanation; no California facility or California policy action is identified in the material.
