Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer looks on as US President Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House on April 9, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is under fire from fellow Democrats after appearing alongside President Donald Trump during a White House signing ceremony, sparking accusations that she was used as a political “prop.”

“Just a f—ing disaster,” said one Democratic operative, who usually supports Whitmer but spoke anonymously to NBC News.

“It feels like it removes some of the momentum she had as a politically savvy swing-state Dem.”

Whitmer was in Washington, D.C., for what was supposed to be a private meeting with Trump on Wednesday. Instead, she ended up standing off to the side as the president signed executive orders calling for the investigation of two first-term administration aides who were critical of his actions.

Many of the orders were not backed by Whitmer, but her presence near the Resolute Desk gave the appearance of support, an image that didn’t go unnoticed by members of her party.

CNN senior reporter Edward-Isaac Dovere called the moment a “huge embarrassment,” while CNN host Audie Cornish said bluntly, “This does not look like the politics of resistance.”

Dovere also insinuated that the situation was set up by the Trump team, saying, “She [Gov. Whitmer] went for this meeting with the president, and he used her as a prop.”

Critics said the moment undercut Whitmer’s persona as a rising Democratic leader, especially as Trump praised her on camera, calling her a “very good person” who had done “an excellent job” in Michigan.

Trump and Whitmer have been working together on keeping Selfridge Air Force Base, outside Detroit, open and funded. They’ve also vowed to tackle an invasive fish posing a danger to the ecosystem of the Great Lakes.

During the signing session, Trump called the issues “bipartisan” and joked about standing alongside the Michigan Democrat when the initiatives were completed, saying “we’ll all stand there together and cut a ribbon. Okay, Gretchen?”

Whitmer’s office moved quickly to contain the fallout, stating she was brought into the room “without any notice” and that her appearance was “not an endorsement of the actions taken or statements made” during the event.

In a speech earlier that morning, Whitmer struck a surprisingly sympathetic tone toward the Trump administration’s controversial tariff policy.

“I understand the motivation behind the tariffs, and I can tell you here’s where President Trump and I do agree,” she said.

“We do need to make more stuff in America.”

Whitmer emphasized shared goals around strengthening U.S. manufacturing in key sectors like cars, steel and computer chips.

While she later criticized the tariffs’ timing, warning against bringing out “the tariff hammer to swing at every problem,” her comments marked a notable break from potential 2028 Democratic rivals like Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who have openly opposed Trump’s economic agenda.

The day’s events sparked fresh questions about Whitmer’s political instincts, just as early jockeying begins for the Democratic presidential field.