Several arrested after US officials make eyebrow-raising discoveries on Mexico border

Border patrol agents at the Texas-Mexico border made two interesting finds while searching vehicles last weekend, resulting in the arrests of three people in two separate incidents. 

A 20-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman, both U.S. citizens, were crossing into the United States through the Anzalduas International Bridge when their vehicle was flagged by CBP agents for a second inspection on Sunday. 

Upon investigation, officials discovered a spider monkey stowed inside a backpack in the vehicle. The two individuals were taken into custody and the monkey was transported to Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville. 

TRUMP PUTTING TROOPS ON BORDER WAS GAME CHANGER, SAN DIEGO SECTOR CHIEF SAYS: ‘FORCE MULTIPLIER’

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora protects certain types of monkeys and their importation is regulated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to CBP officials. However, monkeys are not permitted to be imported as pets. 

On the same day, CPB agents at the Hidalgo International Bridge stopped a 68-year-old Mexican citizen crossing into the U.S. for a second inspection. 

Agents discovered approximately 73 pounds of alleged cocaine stashed inside the man’s Fort Explorer. Authorities estimate the alleged narcotics have a street value of approximately $980,000. 

AMERICAN CAR THEFTS SURGE AS TEENAGE BANDITS, INTERNATIONAL CRIME RINGS SHIP STOLEN VEHICLES OVERSEAS 

The man was taken into custody by Homeland Security and the cocaine was seized by CBP. 

The identities of the three suspects have not been released by authorities. 

“Our frontline CBP officers and agriculture specialists continue to remain vigilant as they conduct their inspections; their attention to detail and inspections experience led to an interception of an endangered species and a significant narcotics seizure in two separate enforcement events,” Hidalgo Port Director Carlos Rodriguez said in a statement. “We remain committed to preventing the exploitation of protected animals and the spread of animal diseases. Seizures of narcotics also reinforce our continued commitment to our border security mission.”

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CBP did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

Maine school board silences ‘MAGA’ parent opposing trans athletes in girls’ sports

A school board meeting in Maine’s capital city of Augusta on Wednesday night featured a contentious interaction between a parent in a “MAGA” hat and the school board president over the state’s ongoing controversy over trans athlete inclusion in girls’ sports. 

Augusta School Board Chair Martha Witham cut off local parent Nick Blanchard while he discussed the controversial issue and a petition he launched to have Cony Middle and High School Principal Kim Liscomb removed from her position, as seen in footage of the meeting. 

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Liscomb is currently the president of the Maine Principals’ Association (MPA), which supports transgender athletes’ participation in school sports based on gender identity and has been a subject of scrutiny by President Donald Trump’s administration over the issue. 

Blanchard, who showed up to the meeting in a “MAGA” hat and a T-shirt of Gov. Janet Mills that read, “You’re fired,” started his speech by praising the six of the seven members of the board who voted to adopt the 2020 interpretation of Title IX that did not allow trans athletes to compete as girls.

Blanchard also condemned the board member who voted against it, which prompted the first interruption by Witham.

“Good job and thank you to the six members that voted to go back to the 2020 interpretation of Title IX, and shame on the one board member that voted no,” Blanchard began.

Witham then cut him off, saying, “I’m sorry, but negative comments will not be allowed.”

Blanchard then proceeded to discuss his petition to have Liscomb removed. 

MAINE GIRL INVOLVED IN TRANS ATHLETE BATTLE REVEALS HOW STATE’S POLICIES HURT HER CHILDHOOD AND SPORTS CAREER

“This petition is asking … if you the school board members will put up a vote,” Blanchard began before being cut off again by Witham. 

Witham told Blanchard that his statements would “not be tolerated” and warned him that he would be asked to step down from the podium if he continued making “defamatory remarks.”

When Blanchard asked how his remarks were “defamatory,” Witham responded by saying “I don’t have to explain it to you.”

“These comments will not be tolerated at the meeting directed toward us or to anybody else in this room,” Witham said. 

Blanchard then agreed to proceed with his speech without referring to Liscomb by name.

“So, as most of you know, someone who is the president of the Maine Principal’s Association,” Blanchard began before being interrupted by Witham for the final time. 

“Nope, close enough. I’m sorry, you’re done, Mr. Blanchard,” Witham said, ordering him off the podium.

As Blanchard walked away, he yelled “Communist China right here!” 

Fox News Digital has reached out to Augusta Schools for comment.

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Maine is currently considered ground zero in the national debate over trans inclusion in girls’ and women’s sports as multiple federal agencies have levied pressure on the state since February to amend its current policies that enable trans inclusion.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture froze funding to the state last week, and the Department of Health and Human Services has already referred the Maine Department of Education, the MPA and Greely High School to the Justice Department.

Friday is the deadline for the state to amend its current policies or face another referral to the justice department by the U.S. Department of Education. 

Pilot and 5 tourists, including 3 children, killed after helicopter plummets into Hudson River

Six people — including a pilot, two adults and three children — were killed after a tour helicopter crashed into the Hudson River in Jersey City, New Jersey, on Thursday afternoon.

Five of the victims have been identified as a Spanish family: Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three young children, The Associated Press reported. The pilot’s identity has not been released.

Siemens is a German global technology company with a headquarters in Spain. Escobar’s LinkedIn profile identified him as the Global CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility and showed he had been with the company in various roles for more than 27 years.

New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said during a news conference that at 3:17 p.m., authorities received multiple 911 calls about a helicopter crash in the Hudson River near the New Jersey coastline. The helicopter was inverted when it crashed, and the cabin was visible above the water. 

New York City Fire Department (FDNY) and New York City Police Department (NYPD) divers entered the water within minutes, along with personnel from the port authority and various New Jersey agencies.

NYPD divers pulled four people from the crash site and FDNY divers recovered an additional two people, Tisch said.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed the family was visiting from Spain. He said it is “heartbreaking” that a family on vacation was involved in such a tragic incident.

“We had over 65 million people that visited our city last year, and just think about it, you’re on a vacation, you’re with your family, you want to experience New York from the sky, and something like this happens. It’s heartbreaking to everyone,” Adams said, in part.

MONSTER 220-POUND FISH CAUGHT IN NEW YORK’S HUDSON RIVER

Immediate lifesaving measures were taken on the vessels and on an adjoining pier. However, four people were pronounced dead at the scene and the other two people were pronounced dead at local hospitals.

According to flight tracking software and a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Bell 206 helicopter, flying for the tour company New York Helicopters, took off from the downtown Manhattan heliport at 2:59 p.m.

The aircraft flew south, before turning to fly north along the Manhattan shoreline up the Hudson River.

At 3:08 p.m., the helicopter reached the George Washington Bridge and then turned again to fly south along the New Jersey shoreline. 

Shortly after, the aircraft lost control and hit the water just a few feet off the shore near Hoboken. 

The Army Corps of Engineers announced just before 10 p.m. it had salvaged the helicopter.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed they will investigate the cause of the crash.

A NTSB “go-team,” including chairman Jennifer Homendy, was deployed and will arrive at the scene Thursday night, according to a statement.

OHIO STATE HIGHWAY PATROL INVESTIGATING SMALL PLANE CRASH, PILOT DEAD

According to FOX Weather, the water temperature in the Hudson River is in the mid 40’s.

There were no known adverse weather conditions that might have caused the crash.

New York Helicopter did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

The crash site is less than a mile from Manhattan and is close to the Holland Tunnel, where 15.8 million vehicles cross annually from New Jersey into New York City.

A safety zone one mile north and one mile south of the Holland Tunnel across the entire Hudson River remains in effect, as of 10 p.m., according to the U.S. Coast Guard. 

“The Coast Guard and Army Corps, along with local partners, continue to support the NTSB in their ongoing investigation and debris recovery efforts,” according to a statement from the Coast Guard.

President Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Thursday night to offer his condolences.

“Terrible helicopter crash in the Hudson River,” Trump wrote. “Looks like six people, the pilot, two adults, and three children, are no longer with us. The footage of the accident is horrendous. God bless the families and friends of the victims. Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, and his talented staff are on it. Announcements as to exactly what took place, and how, will be made shortly!”

Just after 8 p.m., Duffy took to X to share that no air traffic control services were being provided when the helicopter crashed.

“We pray for the victims and their families. Here’s what we know: The tour helicopter was in the Special Flight Rules Area established in New York which means no air traffic control services were being provided when the helicopter crashed,” Duffy wrote in the post. “Several minutes prior to entering the Special Flight Rules Area, Air Traffic Control from LaGuardia airport was providing support.”

Duffy added his agency will launch a Safety Review Team on Thursday night and provide updates as they become available.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams spoke during a joint news conference with the FDNY and NYPD.

“Our hearts go out to the families of those who were onboard,” Adams said. “It’s almost reminiscent of the plane going down here on the Hudson River. Thank God we didn’t lose any lives back then. It’s still fresh and still new, the investigation is ongoing, and … the family members … we lift them up in prayer.”

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said in a post on X he was briefed by law enforcement, and called the incident “tragic.”

“We are supporting the emergency response effort through the @NJSP, @PANYNJ, and local first responders,” Murphy wrote in the post.

NYPD officials told Fox News Digital they are not able to provide further details at this time.

Prior to the Hudson River crash on Thursday, the NTSB reported 211 helicopter accidents in the past two years, 37 of which were fatal.

Since 1965, 36 crashes have occurred in nearby New York City, 11 of which were fatal.

In 2019, two helicopters crashed in New York City.

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One of the helicopters hit the roof of a Manhattan skyscraper in restricted airspace, killing the pilot, according to a report from The Associated Press.

The other helicopter went into the Hudson River and sank while being maneuvered at a heliport, but the pilot escaped.

Supreme Court rules alleged gang member deported to El Salvador must return to US

The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a lower court’s decision to facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national living in Maryland, from an El Salvador prison where federal officials sent hundreds of suspected criminals and gang members in March.

Abrego Garcia, 29, was deported to the El Salvadoran megaprison last month for being an alleged MS-13 gang member, but his attorneys maintain he does not have any gang ties.

U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis ordered federal officials to coordinate his return back to Maryland in a Monday order, calling his deportation “wholly unlawful.” On Thursday, the Supreme Court sided with Xinis. 

“On March 15, 2025, the United States removed Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia from the United States to El Salvador, where he is currently detained in the Center for Terrorism Confinement (CECOT),” the order states. “The United States acknowledges that Abrego Garcia was subject to a withholding order forbidding his removal to El Salvador, and that the removal to El Salvador was therefore illegal.” 

DOJ ASKS TO DISMISS VIRGINIA CASE AGAINST SALVADORAN ACCUSED MS-13 LEADER SET TO BE DEPORTED

Justice Sonia Sotomayor said she “would have declined to intervene in this litigation and denied the application in full.”

“Nevertheless, I agree with the Court’s order that the proper remedy is to provide Abrego Garcia with all the processes to which he would have been entitled had he not been unlawfully removed to El Salvador,” Sotomayor wrote. “That means the Government must comply with its obligation to provide Abrego Garcia with ‘due process of law,’ including notice and an opportunity to be heard, in any future proceedings.”

ACCUSED MS-13 LEADER NABBED BY PATEL’S FBI TO REMAIN IN CUSTODY FOR NOW, JUDGE RULES

The High Court further said it “properly requires the government to ‘facilitate’ Abrego Garcia’s release from custody in El Salvador and to ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador.”

The Justice Department responded to the order in a statement to Fox News in a statement. 

“As the Supreme Court correctly recognized, it is the exclusive prerogative of the President to conduct foreign affairs,” the statement says. “By directly noting the deference owed to the Executive Branch, this ruling once again illustrates that activist judges do not have the jurisdiction to seize control of the President’s authority to conduct foreign policy.”

TOP MS-13 LEADER ARRESTED IN VIRGINIA

Federal court filings say Abrego Garcia fled Garcia to escape gang violence. Starting around 2006, gang members “stalked, hit, and threatened to kidnap and kill him in order to coerce his parents to succumb to their increasing demands for extortion.”

He entered the United States illegally in 2011 and traveled to Maryland, where his older brother, a U.S. citizen, lived.

Around 2016, Abrego Garcia became romantically involved with a female U.S. citizen — Jennifer Vasquez Sura — and her two children, also U.S. citizens. They moved in together and the woman became pregnant with his child. Abrego Garcia worked in the construction industry to support his family, court filings say.

On March 28, 2019, Abrego Garcia went to a Home Depot in Hyattsville, Maryland, to solicit employment and was recruited by three other men. Prince George County Police Department soon arrived at the scene and detained all four men.

MASSACHUSETTS JUDGE CHARGES ICE AGENT WITH CONTEMPT OF COURT

“At the police station, the four young men were placed into different rooms and questioned. Plaintiff Abrego Garcia was asked if he was a gang member; when he told police he was not, they said that they did not believe him and repeatedly demanded that he provide information about other gang members,” court documents state. “The police told Plaintiff Abrego Garcia that he would be released if he cooperated, but he repeatedly explained that he did not have any information to give because he did not know anything.”

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A judge later granted his release, and Abrego Garcia married his now-wife in 2019. He did, however, miss the birth of his child while in federal custody, the federal complaint says. 

Abrego Garcia was arrested in Baltimore on March 12 after he worked a shift as a sheet metal apprentice in Baltimore and picked up his now-5-year-old son, who has autism and other disabilities, from his grandmother’s house, the complaint says.

Former ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ star reveals ALS diagnosis in emotional announcement

Eric Dane has been diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. 

“I have been diagnosed with ALS. I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter,” the 52-year-old “Euphoria” actor and “Grey’s Anatomy” alum told People magazine. 

“I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to the set of ‘Euphoria’ next week. I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time.”

‘GREY’S ANATOMY’ STAR ERIC DANE ENTERS REHAB FOR PAINKILLER ADDICTION

ALS is a “nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord,” according to the Mayo Clinic. 

It causes loss of muscle control as well as breathing and eating problems and can cause dementia. 

Patients typically live for three years after being diagnosed with the disease, but some can live for decades, according to the ALS Association. 

Others who have battled ALS include Stephen Hawking; Yankees player Lou Gehrig, who died in 1941; “SpongeBob SquarePants” creator Stephen Hillenburg; and Jon Stone, the creator “Sesame Street.”

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Dane is married to actress Rebecca Gayheart, and they share two children, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 13. 

GOP, Dems come together to end Daylight Saving over health and economic risks

In 1957, rockabilly singer Bob Ehret repeated, “We’ve got to stop the clock, baby; to spend more time with you” — and in a Senate Commerce Committee hearing, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle strongly considered the benefits of doing so, in a way.

Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said Daylight Saving was grounded in good-faith efforts to reduce energy consumption, but that instead it has led to increased auto accidents in the dark, workplace issues and objections from the agriculture sector that relies on early-morning sunlight.

“We find ourselves adjusting our clocks… springing forward and falling back in the fall. For many Americans, this biannual ritual is a minor inconvenience… But when we take a closer look at the implications of changing the clocks, its impact on our economy, our health and our everyday lives, we can see that this practice is more than an annoyance,” Cruz said.

“The idea was simple. Fewer hours of darkness meant less electricity consumption for lighting and heating.”

TRUMP’S DAYLIGHT SAVINGS PLAN

However, unlike the early 1900s, when the U.S. economy was heavily reliant on energy consumption tied to daylight hours, today’s effects from sunrise and sunset timings are “de minimis,” he said.

Cruz, along with Massachusetts neurology physician Dr. Karin Johnson, spoke about the health concerns associated with changing the time twice a year and with the permanence of Daylight Saving Time (DST), versus Standard Time.

“Research has shown that the abrupt shift in time, especially the spring transition when we lose an hour of sleep,” Cruz said, as Johnson spoke about the effects on people’s circadian rhythm, vascular system and sleep deprivation.

The panel also hosted an official from the National Golf Course Owners Association, as he and other lawmakers spoke of the increased revenue from evening tee times and other tourist activities only possible during daylight hours.

On the Democratic side, Sen. Lisa Blunt-Rochester of Delaware agreed that it was time to consider a “permanent time for our country.”

She noted a bill from then-Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., to abolish DST stalled in the House.

“This body [then] took a harder look at how time changes work state-by-state,” she said.

“What works in my home state of Delaware may not work in Washington state, but I know I speak for many Americans when I say it’s time. It’s time to figure this out.”

‘I CAN’T SLEEP BECAUSE OF RACING THOUGHTS AT NIGHT — HOW CAN I STOP THEM?’: ASK A DOCTOR

Witnesses to the hearing noted that it is indeed southern states like Florida and Texas where the negative effects of a permanent Daylight Saving Time would be most felt.

Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., spoke about his work shifting Daylight Saving Time twice to help assuage some of the issues that were brought up each time, including better guaranteeing trick-or-treating happens at worst at dusk.

Markey quipped that his decades-long work on this issue earned him the nickname “the Sun King.”

“We need to stop the clock,” Blunt-Rochester said. “We know that changing the clock disrupts sleep, which can lead to negative health outcomes. Several studies have noted issues with mood disturbances increase hospital admissions, and even heart attacks and strokes.”

Lock the Clock movement founder Scott Yates testified about the flawed history of DST, noting a time during the 1970s energy crisis that the Nixon administration briefly made DST permanent.

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Nixon signed the law in December 1973 while embroiled in Watergate — but it took effect the first week the following year — Jan. 6, 1974.

“So you can imagine, the worst Monday of the year already is the one after the holiday break where you have to go back to school and everything — to have an extra hour of sleep robbed away right before that. You can understand why it was so unpopular and why it was repealed,” Yates said, noting that months later, Nixon resigned.

The burglary by the “Plumbers” at the Watergate Hotel also notably occurred during nighttime hours.

“So maybe — if we had more daylight, the Watergate break-in doesn’t happen,” Cruz quipped in response.

“And history would be different.”

Walz takes stage at veterans rally — and it immediately backfires on him

Veterans heckled Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., for stolen valor claims during remarks at a veterans rally at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul on Wednesday.

As Walz welcomed the veterans to the Capitol for the annual “Veterans Day on the Hill,” he was met by a fiery crowd who called him a “coward” and criticized him for sympathizing with China, according to footage captured by KSTP.

“Coward! You sympathize with the Chinese!” some veterans holding American flags and “take action” signs shouted at the Democratic governor as he welcomed them to the Capitol. 

“Sir, you’re welcome to come… Let me finish!” Walz replied as he tried to ease tensions while another veteran shouted: “Shut your f—ing mouth!” 

WISCONSINITES KICKED OUT AND DENIED ENTRY TO THIS DEMOCRAT’S ‘FAKE TOWN HALL’

“Woah, hey — there’s some passion in the building, which is a good thing,” Walz said before beginning his address. 

VETERANS INCREASINGLY CALLING OUT WALZ’S MILITARY RECORD: ‘SHAMEFUL’

Footage of the hecklers disrupting Walz’s remarks has gone viral on social media, with conservative influencers celebrating the criticism. 

Walz faced accusations of stolen valor during the 2024 presidential election for inconsistencies describing his military service. 

Walz is a veteran, having served in the Minnesota National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery after transferring from the Nebraska National Guard in 1996. He retired as a master sergeant in 2005.

The former vice presidential candidate was accused of stolen valor for retiring just months before his battalion deployed to Iraq as war raged in the Middle East following the 9/11 attacks. Walz put in his papers for retirement at least five months before his battalion received deployment orders, according to the Minnesota National Guard.

Walz was also discovered to have claimed several times that he retired as a command sergeant major, which is not accurate — he reverted to his previous rank upon retirement because he did not complete the necessary corresponding coursework, the National Guard has said.

Walz’s decades-long ties to China also came to light when Vice President Kamala Harris picked him as her running mate last summer. He worked briefly in China as a teacher, traveling to Guangdong in 1989 for a teaching-abroad program to teach English and American history. 

Walz was initially believed to have made dozens of trips to China over his lifetime, but a campaign spokesperson later tried to walk that number back and said he made approximately 15 visits to China. He also boasted about Minnesota hosting several top Chinese leaders in a letter unearthed by Fox News Digital.

UNEARTHED LETTER REVEALS WALZ BOASTED ABOUT MINNESOTA HOSTING ‘NUMEROUS SENIOR CHINESE LEADERS’

The 2024 campaign trail brought Walz’s inconsistencies regarding his background into the national conversation. Walz said he “misspoke” when he claimed he visited Hong Kong during the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and incorrectly claimed his family used in vitro fertilization. Walz laughed off the missteps, calling himself a “knucklehead.”

The Commanders’ Task Force and Minnesota Association of County Veterans Service Officers hosted the rally in the Rotunda that erupted in boos for Walz on Wednesday. The annual event is designed to streamline communication between Minnesota elected officials and veterans. 

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Once the fury settled, Walz committed to upholding budget protections for veterans during his remarks, in light of Minnesota budget negotiations and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) leading efforts to cut spending and lay off federal employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). 

Walz did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

Whitmer’s Trump photo-op sparks Democratic outrage: ‘Huge embarrassment’

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. 

COLORADO DEMS ARE ‘POKING THE BEAR’ BY DEFYING TRUMP’S ORDERS, GOP LAWMAKER WARNS

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.  

CNN’S ANDERSON COOPER CORRECTED BY QUESTIONER FOR USING WRONG PRONOUNS DURING BERNIE SANDERS TOWN HALL

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. 

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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.

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