President Donald Trump visited the Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan on Tuesday, vowing to save the facility amid apparent doubts about its future.
The president was joined by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, as well as Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D).
President Trump’s speech was delivered just before a scheduled rally in Michigan celebrating his first 100 days in office since returning to the White House in January.
“Thank you very much, it’s an honor to be back in the great state of Michigan,” Trump told the guardsmen and women. “As you know, we had a big victory in Michigan. I won’t forget it and I’m not forgetting it.”
The president spoke directly to the 127th wing of the Michigan Air National Guard, recalling that he had been told that Selfridge’s future as an airbase had been called into question for quite some time.
He revealed that Gov. Whitmer actually visited the White House recently to bring attention to the facility’s murky future.
“Thank you very much, Gretchen, good job,” he said, acknowledging her work on this issue in a gesture of bipartisan spirit.
Trump praised the base as standing as a “crucial pillar of North American air defense” and noted that its first aircraft takeoff took place in 1917.
“Unfortunately, that proud legacy was put at risk by the retirement of the key aircraft placed here,” he said.
Trump noted that retiring A-10 Warthogs would be replaced by 21 “brand new” fighter jets, which he described as being “fresh off the line.”
“This will keep Selfridge on the cutting edge of Northern American air power,” he explained.
He also said that refueling aircraft at Selfridge would be replaced by “brand new top of the line refuelers,” praising the guardsmen and women onsite for being neither Democrat nor Republican, but instead “for America.”