Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer sparked controversy on social media after complaining about the high prices of beef and coffee in the Wolverine State and laying the blame on U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Her complaints generated strong backlash, however, as conservative-leaning voters disagreed with the Michigan governor and shifted the blame back to the Democratic Party and Joe Biden’s administration.
On X, Whitmer said that Michigan’s tariff burden had just hit $6,485 per household since January 2025, making it the highest in the entire United States. She also said that the prices of coffee and beef kept rising quickly, so she decided to send a letter to the U.S. Treasury Department.
In the letter, Whitmer asked the federal government to immediately end tariffs on food and reimburse Michigan families for the money they had already spent due to the tariffs.
Internet Criticizes Governor Whitmer
Whitmer’s post sparked an immediate backlash on X, as multiple users complained that inflation was already high during the Biden administration and that she was blaming the wrong president. One person argued: “Did you all forget the inflation during Biden’s term?”
Another person commented: “Didn’t hear you complain about inflation under the previous regime. Did you think about us when your commissions raised utilities rates, again, or our insurance rates this year. Nothing but a hypocrite.”
Others strongly defended the need for tariffs: “That is a LIE! Tariffs are a long term economic goal that creates jobs to ‘made in America’ but YOU do not understand economics.”
What irked some users was that Michigan also had its own high taxes: “Stop pretending you care about anything but attacking Trump, Gretch. Your government steals at least this much from me every year in property taxes.”
A small minority of commenters supported Whitmer, however, saying: “Michigan is hit hardest because its tariff bill is the biggest in the country, and the rise is fast. Nothing has changed yet. (…) Watch for a Treasury reply, and for the next inflation reading. If food tariffs do end, grocery costs could ease. If not, the bill keeps growing.”
It remains to be seen how the next Michigan governor, Jocelyn Benson, whom Whitmer endorsed, will deal with high prices in the state and whether Trump will continue imposing tariffs.
