WASHINGTON D.C. (WHTC-AM/FM) – President Donald Trump and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer may be on opposite sides of the political fence, as seen by recently airing their differences with each other in public, but the COVID 19 situation has made them allies … to a point thus far.
On Friday night, the President approved the request of Michigan’s Governor in issuing a Major Disaster declaration for the state. It came a day after Whitmer had asked for such help from Washington, and this declaration frees up funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Crisis Counseling Program, along with Emergency Protective Measure’s from FEMA’s Public Assistance Category.
“This is a good start, and it will help us protect Michiganders and slow the spread of COVID-19,” Whitmer said in a Saturday statement, but added, “I’m hopeful that the president will review my request for individual assistance programs that would provide meals to families who need them and rental assistance and temporary housing for families. I look forward to the federal government’s continued partnership as we work to fight this virus.”
In addition, the Governor sent this message via Twitter: “This morning we received 112,800 N95 masks in our shipment from the strategic national stockpile, (with 8,000) more on the way. Great news for our health care workers. We’ll keep working hard along with FEMA and the White House to get more of the PPE we need to keep Michiganders safe.”
Over the last two weeks, Mr. Trump and Governor Whitmer have exchanged public barbs over her handling of the COVID 19 situation in Michigan. Some had feared that such antagonistic feelings could have influenced whether the White House would have approved the state’s disaster request.
Whitmer did mention in a Thursday press briefing that she continues to have a good relationship with Vice President Mike Pence, the former Indiana governor, who is the Administration’s point man in its Coronavirus Task Force.
