Inside the Donald Trump Michigan rally: What his supporters think after 100 days
Trump celebrated his first 100 days in office at a Michigan rally where he announced relief from his controversial auto tariffs. In this key battleground state hit hardest by his 25% tariffs on cars and parts, Jon Sopel speaks to supporters who remain optimistic about long-term benefits despite economic pain.
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In brief:
- Trump visited Michigan, a key battleground state, to announce relief from his controversial 25% auto tariffs, offering a two-year provision allowing US-based manufacturers to reduce import taxes.
- Protesters outside formed one of the largest demonstrations seen at Trump rallies, with critics citing pension losses and economic damage from the tariffs, while the indoor crowd was notably smaller than usual.
- Despite current economic pain, Trump supporters remain optimistic about long-term benefits of his trade policies, with one comparing the tariffs to a necessary but uncomfortable dental visit.
What’s the story?
“Honk if you hate Nazis” and “Trump is fascist clown” are just some of the signs seen outside of Trump’s Michigan rally this week.
The crowd gathered outside was there to protest the first 100 days of his presidency, the crowd inside, waiting for Trump to make an appearance, there to celebrate it.
Michigan was not chosen by chance at the location for the celebration. The key battleground state, which Trump won in 2024, is the leading producer of automobiles in the US, with General Motors based in Detroit and Ford Motors headquartered in a suburb just outside the city.
The sweeping 25% tariffs on cars and car parts Trump introduced in March threw the industry into uncertainty - and that uncertainty hit Michigan the hardest.
So Trump arrived in the state bearing good news - he has eased those tariffs on the car making industry - allowing companies with US factories to reduce the amount they pay in import taxes based on how many cars they sell and the price.
The provision is intended to provide relief to businesses for two years as they rework their supply chains, the White House said.
Jon Sopel has been to many Trump rallies in his time covering the President during his career - and the crowd demonstrating yesterday (29 April) was one of the biggest he’s seen.
One man protesting told of how he lost $6,000 on his 401(k) (pension savings) last month.
He believes many of the people who voted for Donald Trump agree that Trump’s had a bad 100 days - but they’ll never admit it.
“They're stupid. They get in the club, they drink the Kool-Aid, and they can't change their mind.” Another says Trump is making good on his promises, “the promises are just very bad”.
“People don't have a problem with securing the border, but not the way he's doing it, the way he's destroying the economy by market manipulation. No one signed up for that.”
The rally is in a community college - small by Trump’s standards, and it’s still nowhere near full.
“Compared to some of the rallies I've attended for Donald Trump, this is tiny,” Jon notes.
So what was Jen Palmiere, White House Communications Director under President Obama, and Communications Director for the Hillary Clinton campaign doing there?
“I find them really useful in understanding the American psyche,” she tells Jon.
“It's very complicated here with the auto industry. Their unemployment rate has gone off. 900 auto workers were laid off as a result of the tariffs.
“I think he wanted to come here because he had good news from Michigan. He made a deal with automakers yesterday on tariffs to make it a little more manageable for the automakers to maneuver.”
Listening to Trump’s speech, you’d think he had revolutionised the automobile industry for Michigan.
“I love the state, and a lot of auto jobs are coming - watch what's happening. The companies are coming in by the tens,” Trump told the crowd.
“They all want to come back to Michigan and build cars again. You know why? Because of our tax and tariff policy. They're coming from all over the world.”
And some people are buying it - happy to take the short term pain Trump’s tariffs have induced, in order to see a change in the future.
“He's doing what needs to be done, and I think you're gonna see it pan out a year and a half from now,” one supporter told Jon.
“The tariff stuff right now is putting everything in line. It's letting the world know that, ‘Hey, everybody's gotta pay. Everybody's gotta pay’.”
Another said the tariffs are “a necessary short term to get to where we want to go long term”.
“Are people happy to go to the dentist? Generally not, but it's better to go sooner rather than later when your whole face is swollen up - and that's where America was like in its economy.”
A local who supplies parts to car factories said something “radically different” needed to happen.
“That's where I'm at. I'm willing to take a little bit of time and a little bit of pain.”