Trump’s planned visit to Michigan — his first of 2026 — marks his third appearance before the Detroit Economic Club and will coincide with the first day of the Detroit Auto Show. It’s not clear if Trump plans to make any other stops while in the state.
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The visit also comes after Trump’s military ouster of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and national debate over a fatal shooting by an Immigration Customs and Enforcement officer in Minnesota.
Trump last addressed Detroit-area business leaders in October 2024 during his winning presidential campaign, and also spoke to the group in 2016.
He has frequently appeared in the state for campaign stump speeches as well as presidential visits, including a Macomb County stop last year where he announced new fighter jets at the Selfridge Air National Guard Base.
During his last address to the Detroit Economic Club in 2024, Trump warned the “whole country will end up being like Detroit” under Democratic leadership, calling Detroit a “once-great city.” He promised a litany of tax cuts, deductions and credits that he argued would “save” the domestic auto industry.
Since Trump’s second term began, his administration has pursued an aggressive economic agenda, notably wide-ranging tariffs on foreign imports that include foreign cars and automotive parts. The US Supreme Court could rule on the legality of his tariffs as soon as next week.
Trump promised a “Michigan miracle” in his winning 2024 campaign, vowing to quickly lower costs and create jobs. Nationally, inflation has slowed but remains persistent, and job growth slowed in 2025.
Through September, Michigan had added about 20,000 jobs for the year, according to federal data.
In recent weeks, Trump has ordered the government to purchase $200 million in mortgage bonds in an attempt to lower interest rates, and on Friday night announced his support of a one-year, 10% cap on credit card interest rates.
“Please be informed that we will no longer let the American Public be ‘ripped off, by Credit Card Companies,” Trump wrote on his social media website. “AFFORDABILITY!”
Ahead of the planned Detroit visit, Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel said in a statement that “Michiganders are feeling the effects of Trump’s economy every day” and argued the president’s actions have made costs of healthcare and everyday necessities unaffordable for many residents.
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