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Gretchen Whitmer: “European nations are beefing up when it comes to defense and…”

Featuring: Gretchen Whitmer, Democratic | Governor of Michigan

JUST IN: Gretchen Whitmer And AOC Discuss 'Seismic Shifts In US Foreign Policy' In Munich

Published February 13, 2026 | Video Starts at 56:47

And I am confident that ultimately America will be the ally that we have been and we will continue to be, but the terms will have changed somewhat. And the fact that European nations are beefing up when it comes to defense and making investments. that's that's a good thing, that's not a bad thing. And so change isn't all bad. (56:47–56:54)

CLAIM

Asserts that European nations are increasing their defense investments.

This is an excerpt from a raw transcript. The assertions have not been audited or verified. Tap the video to view the source footage and understand the context.

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Gretchen Whitmer

“The largest bridge, the largest transit between nations for the US runs through the city of Detroit into Windsor, Canada.”
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“All of our Automobiles go over 30 times over the course of production.”
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“We've seen nine months of depression in manufacturing.”
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“When we say no to Canada, it forces the Canadian government to do things like talking to China about opening up their doors to some Chinese…”
JUST IN: Gretchen Whitmer And AOC Discuss 'Seismic Shifts In US Foreign Policy' In Munich | Uploaded February 13, 2026 | 06:53-07:06
“China [has the capacity and tactics] to observe and learn from and steal our intellectual property.”
JUST IN: Gretchen Whitmer And AOC Discuss 'Seismic Shifts In US Foreign Policy' In Munich | Uploaded February 13, 2026 | 07:00-28:40
“We've been working so hard to shore up our autos, and we're competitive. We're building some of the finest automobiles on the planet.”
JUST IN: Gretchen Whitmer And AOC Discuss 'Seismic Shifts In US Foreign Policy' In Munich | Uploaded February 13, 2026 | 07:05-07:15
“The President has an opportunity to renegotiate USMCA. He negotiated it in the first place.”
JUST IN: Gretchen Whitmer And AOC Discuss 'Seismic Shifts In US Foreign Policy' In Munich | Uploaded February 13, 2026 | 07:42-07:49
“USMCA...is the backbone of our economy, not just in Michigan, but for the United States.”
JUST IN: Gretchen Whitmer And AOC Discuss 'Seismic Shifts In US Foreign Policy' In Munich | Uploaded February 13, 2026 | 07:44-08:07
“A tariff is really a tax.”
JUST IN: Gretchen Whitmer And AOC Discuss 'Seismic Shifts In US Foreign Policy' In Munich | Uploaded February 13, 2026 | 13:12-13:15
“These relationships are valued by the majority of people in the United States.”
JUST IN: Gretchen Whitmer And AOC Discuss 'Seismic Shifts In US Foreign Policy' In Munich | Uploaded February 13, 2026 | 13:24-13:28
“There is a level of fear and concern [from Canadians] that started off as hurt because [they] went from being like an extension of our…”
JUST IN: Gretchen Whitmer And AOC Discuss 'Seismic Shifts In US Foreign Policy' In Munich | Uploaded February 13, 2026 | 18:37-18:53
“Allyships are built over lots and lots of time. Trust is built over generations and it can be lost fast.”
JUST IN: Gretchen Whitmer And AOC Discuss 'Seismic Shifts In US Foreign Policy' In Munich | Uploaded February 13, 2026 | 19:08-19:18
“There's no question that the barrage and the change in policies have taken a toll.”
JUST IN: Gretchen Whitmer And AOC Discuss 'Seismic Shifts In US Foreign Policy' In Munich | Uploaded February 13, 2026 | 19:41-19:48
“Let's seize on USMCA, let's get this done so that the people around the globe can see, all right, we are going to have a policy and it is…”
JUST IN: Gretchen Whitmer And AOC Discuss 'Seismic Shifts In US Foreign Policy' In Munich | Uploaded February 13, 2026 | 19:59-20:09
“We are going to make investments in chips.”
JUST IN: Gretchen Whitmer And AOC Discuss 'Seismic Shifts In US Foreign Policy' In Munich | Uploaded February 13, 2026 | 27:20-27:23
“China is without question, I think, a very real threat to a lot of the important things that Americans do every day to make a living, take…”
JUST IN: Gretchen Whitmer And AOC Discuss 'Seismic Shifts In US Foreign Policy' In Munich | Uploaded February 13, 2026 | 27:40-27:53
“They don't compete on a level playing field.”
JUST IN: Gretchen Whitmer And AOC Discuss 'Seismic Shifts In US Foreign Policy' In Munich | Uploaded February 13, 2026 | 28:00-28:03
“Tariffs need to be a part of a Conversation [about fair competition].”
JUST IN: Gretchen Whitmer And AOC Discuss 'Seismic Shifts In US Foreign Policy' In Munich | Uploaded February 13, 2026 | 28:02-28:07
“Taiwan's independence, as I think Ukraine's independence is just and...in the strategic interests of the United States.”
JUST IN: Gretchen Whitmer And AOC Discuss 'Seismic Shifts In US Foreign Policy' In Munich | Uploaded February 13, 2026 | 33:02-33:13
“Ukraine's independence, keeping their landmass and having the support of all the allies, I think is, is the goal.”
JUST IN: Gretchen Whitmer And AOC Discuss 'Seismic Shifts In US Foreign Policy' In Munich | Uploaded February 13, 2026 | 33:35-33:46
“The damage that has been done from alienating allies through tariffs I think is going to take a long time to recover from.”
JUST IN: Gretchen Whitmer And AOC Discuss 'Seismic Shifts In US Foreign Policy' In Munich | Uploaded February 13, 2026 | 41:37-41:47
“I think the way that we used to be perceived by the rest of the world as the good guys who you can count on, who show up when you need help…”
JUST IN: Gretchen Whitmer And AOC Discuss 'Seismic Shifts In US Foreign Policy' In Munich | Uploaded February 13, 2026 | 45:04-45:38
“The world's changed. It has changed. I don't know that anyone can say that it hasn't.”
JUST IN: Gretchen Whitmer And AOC Discuss 'Seismic Shifts In US Foreign Policy' In Munich | Uploaded February 13, 2026 | 55:19-55:26
“I don't think that it is a permanent, irredeemable change.”
JUST IN: Gretchen Whitmer And AOC Discuss 'Seismic Shifts In US Foreign Policy' In Munich | Uploaded February 13, 2026 | 55:32-55:38
“It will take time to rebuild, but I am confident that we will do that.”
JUST IN: Gretchen Whitmer And AOC Discuss 'Seismic Shifts In US Foreign Policy' In Munich | Uploaded February 13, 2026 | 55:52-55:58
“I am confident that ultimately America will be the ally that we have been and we will continue to be.”
JUST IN: Gretchen Whitmer And AOC Discuss 'Seismic Shifts In US Foreign Policy' In Munich | Uploaded February 13, 2026 | 56:35-56:44