SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 15 (Our Michigan Times) — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said President Donald Trump helped complete a fighter-jet mission for Selfridge Air National Guard Base after her efforts during the Biden administration did not reach a final decision.
The mission calls for replacing retiring A-10 aircraft with F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets. Whitmer told California Gov. Gavin Newsom that the project was “a huge deal to Michigan.”
“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,” Whitmer said in the reported conversation.
The project is significant because Selfridge, in Macomb County, had faced uncertainty over the future of its fighter mission. The new aircraft are expected to preserve a major military role at the base and support jobs, training and related economic activity.
What Trump announced
Trump announced the new Selfridge mission during an April 29, 2025, event at the Michigan base. Whitmer attended the event.
The announcement described a fleet of 21 F-15EX jets replacing A-10 aircraft. A Defense Department document shared with Michigan senators, as reported by The New York Times, described approximately 20 F-15EX jets being stationed at Selfridge beginning in 2028. The difference appears to reflect varying descriptions of the same planned deployment; the supplied records do not establish which figure is the final controlling number.
The F-15EX Eagle II is a newer version of the F-15 fighter aircraft. The A-10, known for close air support, is being retired from the Selfridge mission under the plan described in the announcement.
Why Whitmer says the Biden effort stalled
Whitmer has said she tried to secure the mission during the Biden administration but could not get it “over the finish line.” The available accounts do not explain which federal steps remained incomplete, why the effort stalled or which agency made the final decision.
The record also does not identify a congressional vote or a specific budget law approving the mission. The available information instead points to a Defense Department plan and the presidential announcement at Selfridge.
A bipartisan result, according to Whitmer’s office
Whitmer’s office called the decision a bipartisan win for Michigan. It said the mission would strengthen the state’s economy, support jobs and improve national security.
The office also projected approximately $850 million in economic benefits for Michigan. That figure is an estimate from the governor’s office, not an independently verified total in the supplied records.
Trump publicly credited Whitmer, a Democratic governor, with advocating for Selfridge. At the April 2025 event, he said: “She came to meet with me specifically to advocate for the preservation of Selfridge. She was quite effective.”
The episode illustrates how state and federal officials can work together on military basing decisions even when they belong to different parties. It also gives Whitmer a concrete Michigan policy result to point to as she describes her dealings with both the Biden and Trump administrations.
