HARRISON TOWNSHIP, Mich.>> President Donald Trump announced a new fighter jet mission for an Air National Guard base in Michigan on Tuesday, allaying fears that the base could close and delivering a win for a longtime antagonist, Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Whitmer has softened her stance toward Trump in hopes of finding common ground, with securing a new mission for Selfridge Air National Guard Base a top priority. The two shared a hug as the Republican president arrived in Michigan, a remarkable development given how unpopular the president remains with Democrats. Whitmer later disputed that it was a full embrace, saying she shook hands and leaned in as Trump put his arm on her shoulder.

For decades, Trump said at the air base, Selfridge has “stood as a crucial pillar of North American air defense.”

“In recent years, many in Michigan have feared for the future of the base. They’ve been calling everybody, but the only one that mattered is Trump,” he said. “Today I have come in person to lay to rest any doubt about Selfridge’s future.”

State officials had been pushing for years to replace the base’s aging fleet of A-10 aircraft, which are set to be retired, to help ensure Selfridge remains in operation. Trump said Tuesday that the retiring A-10s will be replaced by 21 F-15EX Eagle II fighters jets that were “fresh off the line.”

During his remarks, Trump said the governor — who shared a brief motorcade ride with him to the base as he arrived in Michigan to mark his 100th day in office — has been “very effective” in advocating for Selfridge. But in her own impromptu remarks, Whitmer notably did not name Trump.

“I am really damn happy we’re here to celebrate this recapitalization at Selfridge,” she said. “It’s crucial for the Michigan economy, it’s crucial for the men and women here, for our homeland security and our future. So thank you. I’m so, so grateful that this announcement was made today, and I appreciate all the work.”

Thirty miles north of Detroit, the base generates an estimated $850 million in statewide economic impact and supports about 5,000 military and civilian personnel, according to the office of Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich.

For years, Whitmer has pressed multiple administrations — including Trump’s in his first term and former Democratic President Joe Biden’s — to secure a new mission for the base, calling it “a key defense hub and economic anchor.” The Air Force announced in 2017 that Selfridge had lost out on a bid for F-35A Lightning.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth traveled separately from the president to Selfridge for the announcement. But military implications aside, Trump’s announcement handed Whitmer a victory — although it remains to be seen what political price she may have paid to secure it.

The governor has been mentioned frequently as a potential presidential candidate. As she works to raise her profile nationally, Whitmer has vowed to find commonality with Trump where she can.