Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer regrets hiding from photographers while in Oval Office with Trump: ‘We all have our moments’

She was a small aged to play peek-a-boo successful nan White House.

Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer admitted Monday she made a correction by trying to hide from photographers who came into nan Oval Office wherever she was waiting to meet pinch President Trump past week.

“You asked maine what was going connected successful my mind astatine that moment,” Whitmer said during an quality astatine nan Detroit Economic Club connected Monday erstwhile asked why she held up 2 bluish folders arsenic nan photographers snapped distant April 9. “It was ‘I don’t want my image taken’ — that’s each it was.”

“I kinda wish I hadn’t put my files up successful beforehand of my face,” she added, “but whatever. We each person our moments.”

Whitmer, 53, has been mooted arsenic a imaginable contender for nan 2028 Democratic statesmanlike nomination, but was roundly mocked complete nan awkward moment.

The Mitten State politician was successful Washington to springiness remarks calling for a “consistent nationalist strategy” to bring manufacturing backmost to nan US.

She besides called for cutting reddish portion and criticized Trump’s tariff scheme arsenic a “triple whammy: higher costs, less jobs and much uncertainty.”

Whitmer had initially been scheduled to meet pinch Trump privately to talk issues affecting her state, but sewage mixed into an Oval Office crowd that watched nan president motion executive orders — including authorization for nan Justice Department to analyse 2 first-term critics.

“She’s really done an fantabulous job,” Trump quipped aft spotting Whitmer. “Very bully person.”

On Saturday, nan New York Times published a photograph of Whitmer trying to conceal her presence, akin to a kid playing “If I can’t spot you, you can’t spot me.”

“It was not wherever I wanted to beryllium aliases planned to beryllium aliases would person liked to person been,” Whitmer told reporters Thursday. “I disagree pinch a batch of worldly that was said and nan actions that were taken. But I stayed successful nan room because I needed to make nan lawsuit for Michigan, and that’s my job.”

One of Whitmer’s objectives was to push for a national emergency declaration for bluish Michigan, which has endured sadistic wintertime upwind that has resulted successful thousands of residents losing power.

She besides wanted to push to support Selfridge Air National Guard Base successful Macomb County open.

“If I tin get either of those things, it’s each worthy it,” Whitmer said Monday. “Because I’m conscionable location to fight for nan group of Michigan.”

Trump has expressed liking successful keeping Selfridge “open, strong” and “thriving.”

Whitmer is term-limited and ineligible to tally for a 3rd word arsenic Michigan politician successful 2026.