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 her efforts during the Biden administration did not reach a final decision.
The planned mission would replace retiring A-10 aircraft with 21 F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets, according to Trump’s announcement at Selfridge on April 29, 2025. A Defense Department document shared with Michigan’s senators described a plan to station approximately 20 of the jets at the base beginning in 2028.
Whitmer discussed the project with California Gov. Gavin Newsom in remarks reported Aug. 14, 2026. She said she had tried to complete the mission during the Biden administration but was unable to “get over the finish line.” She credited Trump with helping her get it done and called the project “a huge deal to Michigan.”
What is planned at Selfridge?
Selfridge Air National Guard Base is a Michigan Air National Guard installation in Macomb County. The F-15EX mission is intended to modernize the base’s aircraft after the retirement of its A-10s.
The F-15EX Eagle II is a newer fighter aircraft used by the Air Force. The sources describe the Selfridge plan as a federal defense decision involving the Defense Department and the Michigan National Guard. They do not identify a roll-call vote or provide details of a specific congressional authorization for the mission.
The number of aircraft has been described in two ways. Trump’s announcement and several reports referred to 21 jets, while the Defense Department document described approximately 20. The plan is expected to begin in 2028, according to the document reported by The New York Times.
What roles did Trump and Whitmer play?
Trump announced the mission during an event at Selfridge and praised Whitmer’s advocacy for preserving the base. Trump said Whitmer had met with him specifically to argue for Selfridge’s preservation and called her “quite effective.”
Whitmer attended the event and later described the outcome as a bipartisan achievement. Her office said the mission would support Michigan’s economy, create jobs and strengthen national security.
Whitmer’s office also estimated that the initiative could produce about $850 million in economic benefits for Michigan. That figure is a projection from the governor’s office, not a reported total of money already delivered.
What does Whitmer’s account say about Biden?
Whitmer has said she pursued the fighter mission during President Joe Biden’s administration but did not complete it there. Her remarks do not, in the supplied record, explain what steps the Biden administration took, why the effort stalled or which federal decision formally approved the mission.
Her account places the project in the broader context of bipartisan efforts to maintain military facilities and defense jobs. Trump, a Republican, and Whitmer, a Democrat, appeared together at Selfridge as the president announced the aircraft plan.
The reported conversation between Whitmer and Newsom connects the Michigan project to California through Newsom’s participation. The fighter-jet mission itself, however, is based in Michigan and is expected to affect that state’s military infrastructure and economy.
