¶ Overview
Rogers praised Trump’s tariffs and trade wars, dismissed Michiganders’ concerns over the tariffs’ impact, and mocked concerns over higher prices by lying about manufacturing jobs returning; he doubled down on tariffs after the Supreme Court ruled against Trump.
Trump’s tariffs harmed Michigan’s economy, Michigan farmers, and squeezed auto manufacturers.
Rogers supported Trump’s trade war threats against Canada and his using the Gordie Howe Bride as leverage in trade negotiations with Michigan’s northern neighbors.
Rogers received thousands in campaign contributions from the billionaire Moroun family; the Morouns profited from the existing Ambassador Bridge crossing and sought to block the opening of the Gordie Howe Bridge.
¶ Rogers Supported Trump’s Damaging Tariffs And Trade Wars
¶ Rogers Praised Trump’s Tariffs
[VIDEO] Mike Rogers Supported Trump’s Tariffs To “Correct” Imbalances And Said “This Is Going To Be Hard.” “And so we have to take action now to correct these imbalances. And it's unfair, really, if you think about what the president is saying is, if you want to sell in our country, then you have to let us sell in your country. That is about the most basic thing we can get to. Listen, if this thing goes long and it's hard , it's , you know , we'll have to deal with that when it gets there. But we've already seen trillions of dollars of investment pledged to come back to the United States manufacturing supply chains coming back to the United States. Yeah, this is going to be hard. It's going to be hard for the next few months. I don't think anybody doesn't realize that.” [FNC: America’s Newsroom, 4/14/25]
Mike Rogers Said “We Have To Go Through” Trump’s Trade War. According to Breitbart, “On Trump’s aggressive use of strategic tariffs to bolster American manufacturing jobs and communities, Rogers says voters know the U.S. must ‘break the paradigm where China won’t allow U.S. products in but is taking advantage of our market,’ and that Trump is the dealmaker-in-chief who can make it happen. ‘They believe it’s the right fight to have,’ he said of Michigan voters. ‘Remember, these manufacturers have been told for 30 years, ‘no, no, no, we’re going to do something about China.’ Well, think about where the Democrats are on this. They’re basically arguing, ‘oh no, no, [China] should keep those jobs, let them keep doing it so you can pay 50 cents less for your cheesy pool toy.’ I think people’s mindset has shifted, and they understand this is what we have to go through just to get back to being fair.’” [Breitbart, 4/14/25]
[AUDIO] Mike Rogers Said Tariffs Were “Really Good” For Michigan. “Lloyd Jackson: The big topic is tariffs right now and some uncertainty for the auto industry. Do you think it ultimately is a good thing for our state and the industry here? Mike Rogers: Ultimately I do. I mean, I don't think a permanent tariff on everything is probably the right answer for the country. But targeted tariffs, I think, are really good. They're a tool. I mean, when you get guys like Jamie Dimon who are saying, yeah, targeted tariffs can really make a difference. And remember what this is about China. China. China is not fair in the way it applies its tariffs. And so it makes it uncompetitive purposely for American products to compete in China. And this is about fairness. You know, if you're going to charge 25% on our cars or whatever that tariff might be, we should Why shouldn't we charge 25% for your stuff coming into the country? I mean, why do we put our own businesses at a significant disadvantage? And I know there was a big push for a while or just be a service economy. Well, guess what? You can't have a robust, growing, thriving middle class with just a service economy. It doesn't work. There is a great map. It's very disturbing. It shows in the 2000, the trade, the major trade partners of the United States and 90% of that map, the world map is blue for the United States. 10% was China. Today, in 2024, actually last year, they produced that map. Again, it is 90%, China, 10% the United States. That's just unsustainable. We cannot allow China to subvert our standing as an economic prowess in a great economy. And, you know, you can keep saying, well, you know, just, you know, get we get cheap goods. Listen, I don't care about buying cheap plastic toys from China. I do. When it comes to heavy manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, aerospace, they're trying to take that from us, too. And we just can't let it happen. Tariffs can be an end to that problem. And this is a 30 year problem. This wasn't didn't happen for years. This is a 30 year problem. Going to be really hard to fix. I give the president all the credit in the world for trying to stop the bleeding of our middle class here in America, including Michigan.” [JR Mornings, 4/15/25]
[AUDIO] Mike Rogers Said Tariffs “Can Be Very, Very Effective.” “I think tariffs as a tool, a targeted tool that are temporary, can be very, very effective. And here's why you have to do it. Think of this American automobile industry. 80% of engines and drive train are produced somewhere else, not in the United States, certainly not in Michigan. That's that's really not sustainable for a long term automobile industry. And I'm not talking about just assembly. I'm talking about production of engines and transmissions and all of those things is produced somewhere else around the world. And that that has to end. And by the way, some of those countries are not treated as very fair on the tariff front. We get higher tariffs than they're charging and they're trying to keep our products out of their markets. So we I believe that the less we have to do this at some point. I mean, China showed us today, Brian, why this is so important. They decided they were going to the materials to make these magnets. They were going to stop export of these things, which really hurts a military industry, electric cars, all of these things. And they did it because they can. And we put ourselves in a position to let them do that to us. We cannot sustain this. It's not sustainable if we ever had a major conflict in the world, guess what? Who's building our engines?” [Brian Kilmeade Show, 4/15/25]
Mike Rogers Touted Trump’s Tariffs And Said It Was A Question Of Fairness To The American Worker. According to the Washington Examiner, “Rogers said workers seem to rate the tariffs higher than Wall Street and the legacy media. ‘You can’t have countries charging us 25% to get a car in their country, and we don’t charge them anything, or we charge them 2% or whatever,’ he said. ‘It’s not fair. It’s not fair to the American worker, No. 1. And it’s really not fair to anybody else that lives off this.’ There are still way too many people across Michigan living paycheck to paycheck, he believes. ‘I say that a lot because we’ve lost so much manufacturing base in the state,’ he said. ‘We’re still a manufacturing powerhouse. We should be. But we should grow it. And we can do that if we compete fairly around the world.’” [Washington Examiner, 5/12/25]
Rogers Maintained Support For The Tariffs And Defended Trump’s Tariff Strategy
Mike Rogers Said That With Tariffs, “Obviously Certainty Is Always Better” But That The Trump White House Was “Great” Because They Will Open Up A Conservation. According to Politico, “The view from a swing state: In battleground Michigan, the calculus may be a bit more complicated. This week, Playbook spoke with former Rep. Mike Rogers, who is seeking the GOP nomination for Senate. Michigan — a famously manufacturing-heavy state with a massive amount of trade with neighboring Canada — is highly exposed to economic fluctuations from tariffs. Rogers hopes the ups and downs of the trade war will be smoothed out by the end of the year in order to avoid becoming a campaign issue Democrats can wield against him. As for the tariffs’ economic impact, ’obviously, certainty is always better,’ Rogers tells Playbook. ‘The shoe is going to pinch every once in a while, and the good news about the White House is when there’s a case that comes up that doesn’t seem fair or rational, we even call, and they’re at least open to a conversation, which is great.’” [Politico, 8/1/25]
Mike Rogers Claimed That Trade Deals Were “Starting To Have An Impact.” According to Breitbart, “He then said that home appliance company Whirlpool is also bringing manufacturing back to America, while noting that America is beginning to gain access to overseas markets, which the U.S. had been previously shut out of due to tariffs and non-tariff trade barriers other nations put on the U.S. ‘Whirlpool announcing it’s coming back to the United States. Whirlpool, great American product, or it used to be. Guess what? Coming back to the United States. Trade deals that allow the United States to be competitive and sell stuff overseas, which they tend to protect overseas. So all of those things are starting to have an impact,’ Rogers said.” [Breitbart, 8/2/25]
Mike Rogers Claimed To Have Spoken To A Man Who Got Put On A Second Shift For The First Time In 25 Years “Because He’s Getting More Work Because The Auto Companies Are Trying To Source It Here.” According to Breitbart, “He recalled speaking with one Michigan man who is getting put on a second shift for the first time in 25 years, ‘because he’s getting more work because the auto companies are trying to source it here in the United States.’ ‘This is exactly what should be happening, and this is so good for a state like Michigan,’ he added.” [Breitbart, 8/2/25]
- Mike Rogers Said Tariffs Were “Absolutely” The Reason For The Alleged Second Shift. According to Breitbart, “Rogers, who said Michiganders are ‘absolutely’ seeing results now from Trump’s policies, further noted that the man he spoke with, who is a metal fabricator, attributed the uptick in work to Trump’s tariffs. ‘Matter of fact, the guy that’s putting on the second shift is a metal fabricator,’ Rogers recounted. ‘I said, ‘Well, what do you attribute that to?’ And he said, ‘Oh, it’s tariffs completely.’ He said, ‘Once that was all announced, the automobile companies were calling me saying, Hey, we love your product. We were going to source this in China, but we would like to–can you do the work, because it will now be cheaper to build it in the United States?’ I mean, this is exactly what you want.’” [Breitbart, 8/2/25]
- Mike Rogers Claimed To Have Spoken To Another Man Who Was Getting Increased Shifts. According to Breitbart, “He spoke with another gentleman in the northern part of the state who said opportunities for increased shifts are returning, after a shortage of shifts during former President Joe Biden’s administration. ‘He said they were doing three shifts right up during the first Trump term. When Biden got in and started spending all that money and doing all the regulatory nonsense, he said they were down to one shift,’ Rogers noted. ‘He said in the last two weeks…that the amount of activity requesting orders has just shot through the roof. And so it’s having a real impact, because these car companies, these bigger manufacturers, are going to have to source things in the United States. That’s good for Michigan families, for sure, it’s good for — I think it’s good for all American families.’” [Breitbart, 8/2/25]
Mike Rogers’ Campaign Said Opposing Tariffs Was Siding With “Made In China Over Made In America.” According to the Washington Examiner, “Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Curtis Hertel, speaking with Dingell on a call to reporters, said the state’s Big Three automakers — Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis, which owns brands like Dodge and Jeep — are ‘hemorrhaging billions of dollars because of the chaotic trade policies that Mike Rogers is championing.’ In a statement, the Rogers campaign accused Democrats of siding with ‘Made in China over Made in America’ by opposing the tariffs. The Rogers campaign also said Democrats have for years driven jobs out of Michigan with high taxes and regulations. ‘Michigan Democrats threatened tens of thousands more auto jobs with their electric vehicle mandates,’ Rogers campaign spokeswoman Alyssa Brouillet said, before shifting to the effect of Trump’s signature tax law. ‘And now, Democrats are opposing no tax on tips, no tax on overtime for 3 million working Michigan families, and bringing business back to the U.S. If we want to build our middle class, we need to build in America.’” [Washington Examiner, 8/7/25]
Mike Rogers Claimed That Michiganders Were “Fairly Optimistic” About Trump’s Tariffs. According to Punchbowl News, “But Rogers has now morphed into an effective messenger for Trump. He says Michiganders are ‘fairly optimistic’ about Trump’s tariff regime, touting General Motors’ announcement that some production lines are returning to Michigan from Mexico. Still, inflation and the cost of living are vulnerabilities for Republicans heading into 2026. ‘[Trump] believes, and I believe, that the economy will be improving steadily throughout the year,’ Rogers said.” [Punchbowl News, 8/21/25]
Mike Rogers Touted Trump’s “Tariff Policies” And Praised The Proposal For $2,000 Dividend Checks. Mike Rogers tweeted, “President Trump’s tariff policies put the American people back in the driver’s seat. More manufacturing jobs, $2000 dividend checks in your pockets, and paying down our national debt. America is winning again!” [Twitter, @MikeRogersForMI, 11/9/25]
Mike Rogers Praised Trump And Claimed He Was “Fighting To Bring Good Paying Jobs Back To The USA.” Mike Rogers tweeted, “President Trump is fighting to bring good paying jobs back to the USA. Real wages for factory workers are up $1300 this year! That’s America First! Quote” [Twitter, @MikeRogersForMI, 12/17/25]
¶ Rogers Mocked Concerns Over Higher Prices By Lying About Manufacturing Jobs Returning
Mike Rogers Said Trump’s Tariffs Were “Absolutely” Brining Manufacturing Opportunities To Michigan. According to Breitbart, “Former U.S. Rep Mike Rogers (R-MI), the Trump-endorsed Republican Senate candidate for Michigan, told Sirius XM’s Breitbart News Saturday that President Donald Trump’s tariffs are ‘absolutely’ already having real results as manufacturing opportunities are returning to the Wolverine State. Rogers joined Breitbart News Washington Bureau Chief Matthew Boyle for the nearly 30-minute interview Saturday morning, in which the Senate hopeful highlighted key investments coming into Michigan and the United States that benefit both big and small manufacturers, thanks to Trump’s tariff and trade policies. Rogers keyed in on General Motors’ commitment to invest $4 billion in the United States, part of which will go to a facility in Michigan. He emphasized that it is ‘huge’ that GM is bringing production back to Michigan. ‘And by the way, when that happens, all these small, little manufacturers get more work. This is really good for a state like Michigan,’ he said.” [Breitbart, 8/2/25]
Mike Rogers Said Michigan Would Have A Manufacturing Renaissance Because Of Trump’s Trade Agenda. According to the Cadillac News, “Rogers will be running for U.S. Senate in 2026. He served in the U.S. Army and as an FBI special agent before becoming a U.S. Rep. for Michigan’s 8th Congressional District from 2001 to 2015. He emphasized the importance of strengthening law enforcement to protect communities. Rogers said he also believes Michigan could have a renaissance in manufacturing because of Trump’s trade agenda. ‘I can feel unity like I’ve never felt in a very long time in our state,’ he said. ‘This is our chance to stand up for all the hard decisions the president is making now and to legislate on all on all those executive orders.’” [Cadillac News, 8/4/25]
Mike Rogers Falsely Said Manufacturing Jobs Were Up, And Then Mocked Those Who Worry About Higher Prices, Saying “When The Democrats Start Getting At Us, Oh My Gosh, Coffee Went Up. You Know, Horror. Okay, I Don’t Like That. Costs Are Up But I’m Telling You What. I’d Rather Have Good Manufacturing Jobs Here.” According to Heartland Signal, “ During a town hall event last week, Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers defended President Donald Trump’s tariff policy with the argument that manufacturing jobs are returning to the United States, which is statistically false. During the event, which was held in Metamora (in Michigan’s 9th Congressional District) last Wednesday, Rogers was asked what policies he supports for reversing the offshoring of jobs. In audio obtained by Heartland Signal, Rogers argued that Trump’s tariffs are helping jobs come back from overseas, and that is worth the financial strife being put on the American people, even making fun of those who worry about higher prices. ‘And when the Democrats start getting at us, oh my gosh, coffee went up. You know, horror,’ Rogers mocked. ‘Okay, I don’t like that. Costs are up but I’m telling you what. I’d rather have good manufacturing jobs here.’” [Heartland Signal, 9/10/25]
[AUDIO] Mike Rogers Praised Trump’s Tariffs And Claimed That They Were Bringing Back Manufacturing Jobs. “You know, the most important thing about tariffs is getting back to Made in America. And so what we've seen as General Motors announces after that $4 billion in investment expanding the Orion facility right here in Michigan, Ford is coming back. Whirlpool announced it's coming back to the United States. We have other foreign companies realigning their production facilities back here to the United States. And so why is that important? We've lost 30,000 manufacturing jobs since 2019. And so when you look at that, that tells you we have a problem. And China has been eating our lunch on supply chains, on critical minerals. And so all of this helps realign to make sure that Michigan working families and American working families are manufacturing again, which is really the backbone of the middle class.” [Daily Drive Podcast, 9/23/25]
Rogers Incorrectly Said Tariffs Would Be Settled By The End Of 2025 And Touted “Lower Gas Prices” As Evidence That Tariffs Worked.” According to Politico, “But Rogers, who has lobbied the White House on tariff issues, also told Playbook last year that he predicted the trade wars would be mostly settled by December, smoothing his path. It’s not worked out quite like Rogers has predicted. ‘The way you get through all of this is you start putting pressure on prices, which is happening. Lower gas prices is a big, big, big part of that,’ Rogers told Playbook this week. ‘We haven’t paid this gasoline price in — God, I don’t know, I think it was Trump One honestly that we paid anywhere close to this. That has a huge impact on people’s monthly check.’ So, will tariffs complicate Republicans’ hopes in Michigan this year? ‘I don’t believe it will,’ Rogers said. ‘I do see a light at the end of the tunnel: downward pressure on prices, re-shoring and adding middle-class-producing manufacturing jobs,’ he said. ‘I think Michigan’s days are very, very bright.’” [Politico, 1/16/26]
¶ Rogers Doubled Down On Trump’s Tariffs After The Supreme Court Ruling
After The Supreme Court Struck Down Trump’s Tariffs, Mike Rogers Said That Trump Should Have “Every Tool In His Toolkit To Save American Manufacturing And To Do It Urgently — Before We Lose The Jobs And Billions Of Dollars Of Investments That Have Reshored To The United States.” According to Politico, “The trail tail: The ruling is certain to shake up midterm messaging in both parties — especially in manufacturing hubs like Michigan. Mike Duggan, the former Detroit mayor running for governor as an independent, told Playbook’s Adam Wren ‘predictable and targeted tariffs can bring jobs back to the United States,’ but that ‘we’ve been hurt because of the frequent and sudden changes.’ Mike Rogers, the lone Republican Senate candidate in Michigan, said in a statement that Trump ‘can’t’ protect domestic manufacturing ‘alone.’ He said Trump should have ‘every tool in his toolkit to save American manufacturing and to do it urgently — before we lose the jobs and billions of dollars of investments that have reshored to the United States.’” [Politico, 2/20/26]
¶ Trump’s Tariffs Were Bad For Michigan
HEADLINE: "Trade War, Drought Squeeze Michigan Farmers Heading To Fall Harvest" [Bridge Michigan, 9/18/25]
HEADLINE: "Tariffs Hit Small Michigan Retailers Hard, Prompting Panic Buying, Cost Cutting" [Detroit Free Press, 5/23/25]
HEADLINE: "Tariffs Weigh Heavy On Detroit Chamber’s State Of The Region As Trump Pledges Additional Levies" [Michigan Advance, 4/1/25]
Detroit Regional Chamber And MichAuto Said Trump’s Proposed Tariffs On Imported Vehicles Would Lead To Dramatic Prices Increases And Supply-Chain Disruptions. According to Reuters, "Two Michigan business groups urged President Donald Trump to halt plans to impose sweeping 25% tariffs on imported vehicles and parts, saying it would lead to dramatic price hikes, supply-chain disruptions and pain in the auto-heavy state. ‘The increased costs would cause significant disruption throughout the supply chain and, perhaps most importantly, lead to significant price increases to the cost to American consumers for vehicles,’ the Detroit Regional Chamber and MichAuto, an automotive and mobility association, said in a letter." [Reuters, 3/31/25]
Ball State University Economist Said Michigan Would Feel The Effects Of Trump’s Tariffs First. According to Michigan Public Radio, "Michigan and other Midwest states will feel the pain of what’s now a trade war before the rest of the country, according to Ball State University economist Michael Hicks. President Donald Trump on Saturday signed an order to impose stiff tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada and China, drawing swift retaliation from the country's North American neighbors in the emerging trade war. […] ‘The pain of this is going to be rather broad,’ but the first to feel the effects will be in states like Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio, said Hicks, who directs Ball State's Center for Business and Economic Research. ‘After the 2018 tariffs [imposed by Trump], it took six to nine months for the Midwest to slip into a manufacturing recession,’ Hicks said. ‘So by middle of 2019, Indiana, Michigan, most of the Midwest was already bleeding manufacturing jobs.’" [Michigan Public Radio, 2/1/25]
- Ball State University Economist Said It Took Six Months For The Midwest To Slip Into A Manufacturing Recession Following The 2018 Tariffs Imposed By Trump. According to Michigan Public Radio, "Michigan and other Midwest states will feel the pain of what’s now a trade war before the rest of the country, according to Ball State University economist Michael Hicks. President Donald Trump on Saturday signed an order to impose stiff tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada and China, drawing swift retaliation from the country's North American neighbors in the emerging trade war. […] ‘The pain of this is going to be rather broad,’ but the first to feel the effects will be in states like Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio, said Hicks, who directs Ball State's Center for Business and Economic Research. ‘After the 2018 tariffs [imposed by Trump], it took six to nine months for the Midwest to slip into a manufacturing recession,’ Hicks said. ‘So by middle of 2019, Indiana, Michigan, most of the Midwest was already bleeding manufacturing jobs.’" [Michigan Public Radio, 2/1/25]
- HEADLINE: "Trump Tariffs Spark ‘Trade War’ With Michigan’s Biggest Trade Partners" [Bridge Michigan, 3/4/25]
¶ Rogers Supported Trump’s Trade War Threat To Block The Opening Of Michigan’s Gordie Howe Bridge
¶ Rogers Thought Trump’s Threats To Canada Over The Bridge Were “The Right Thing To Do”
Michigan Advance: Mike Rogers Says Donald Trump’s Gordie Howe Bridge Threat Is ‘The Right Thing To Do’ [Michigan Advance, 2/10/26]
Mike Rogers Supported Trump’s Threat To Block The Opening Of The Gordie Howe Bridge. According to Michigan Advance, “Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers was generally unfazed by President Donald Trump’s threat to prevent the opening of the newly-constructed Gordie Howe International Bridge, saying Tuesday morning that Trump needs leverage to enact better trade deals with Canada, and China by proxy. Rogers was in Sterling Heights on Tuesday to unveil a new housing policy aimed at fixing the regulatory scheme that holds some back from purchasing a new home, and geared toward making the financing for a new home more accessible. Trump’s threat issued Monday evening — part of the president’s simmering trade dispute with Canada — dominated questions at the policy rollout event. When asked about materials and the nation’s lumber supply imports from Canada, Rogers was questioned about his level of concern over Trump’s posturing potentially hurting his housing plans. Rogers said he would like to see the bridge opened on time, but added that it wasn’t open today, and that commerce is still flowing between the two North American nations. ‘That commerce that you’re talking about is still happening every day,’ Rogers said. ‘What the president has done is say, ‘I need some leverage.’ Canada just took Chinese-made cars and dropped them down from 100% tariffs to a 6% tariff. I would like the president to have some leverage to stop thousands and thousands and thousands of Chinese-made cars pouring over the bridge. Do you know who that hurts? It hurts Michigan autoworkers.’” [Michigan Advance, 2/10/26]
- Mike Rogers Said “I Don’t Know Why We Would Stand In The Way Of That So We Can Get More Chinese Cars Driving Across That Bridge. It Doesn’t Make Any Sense To Me. I Give Him All The Leash He Needs.” According to Michigan Advance, “Rogers said posturing from Democrats over Trump’s messaging was overblown because trade is still active between the two nations. Although Trump has struggled to net great deals for the U.S. through the threats, and in some cases the enactment of crippling tariffs, Rogers said he believes the president is trying to get the best trade deals possible for American workers. ‘I don’t know why we would stand in the way of that so we can get more Chinese cars driving across that bridge,’ he said. ‘It doesn’t make any sense to me. I give him all the leash he needs. I think we’re going to get a good deal at the end of the day, and American workers are going to have the benefit.’” [Michigan Advance, 2/10/26]
- Mike Rogers Said Trump’s Threat Was “The Right Thing To Do.” According to Michigan Advance, “Rogers was asked if he plans to speak to the president should he actually prevent the bridge from opening, and what would he say to him if the crossing’s shuttering quickly spirals the economy. The presumptive GOP nominee for the U.S. Senate first turned to history, saying that Michigan has lost manufacturing jobs en masse since 2018, which hurt Michigan’s manufacturing strength. Meanwhile, China has been increasing its manufacturing capacity. Of note, that was two years into Trump’s first term. Rogers said China’s resurgence had hurt Michigan’s middle class families, and he doubled down on his belief that the bridge won’t be shuttered before it’s even open on the American side. ‘The president has said, ‘give me a minute, I’ll get a better deal for autoworkers in America, and here in Michigan,’ Rogers said. ‘I’m not even sure what we’re arguing about. … This is the problem of why we’re in this shape in Michigan in the first place. Leaders over the last 32 years with two Democrats in the Senate, and the Democrats in control for two years in Lansing, we’ve lost manufacturing jobs, our education went from top tier, we’re about 44th, our ability to build things here in Michigan and America has gone down. I think this is probably the right thing to do.’” [Michigan Advance, 2/10/26]
¶ Rogers Defended Trump’s Using The Gordie Howe Bridge As Leverage In His Dealmaking With Canada
[AUDIO] Rogers Warned Michiganders To “Never Underestimate President Trump's Ability To Get A Deal” And Thought That “If We Can Use This As An Opportunity To Get Canada To Change Its Mind About Dumping Communist Party Subsidized Cars Built In China From Coming Into The American Market, Then I Think He Should Try To Take That Opportunity.” “So never underestimate President Trump's ability to get a deal. And where he starts, I find, is very rarely where he ends up, but he tends to get the ball moving forward on - This is the same thing for me. You know, Canada just recently announced that they were going to lower from 100% tariffs on Chinese made cars down to six, and they were going to increase the number of cars that they could get into Canada, which, by the way, is just a short drive down into the United States. And so if we can use this as an opportunity to get Canada to change its mind about dumping Communist Party subsidized cars built in China from coming into the American market, then I think he should try to take that opportunity. Remember, no commerce is lost. I saw a lot of people running around with their hair on fire. There's a bridge. It's open. It's been operating for decades. And all of the supply chains that we use for going back and forth for Canada are still going to be existing.” [JR Morning, 2/12/26]
- [AUDIO] Rogers Claimed That He Wanted The Bridge To Open But Thought Trump’s “Trying To Go To Cut A Deal Here Could Be Could Go A Long Way To Two To Actually Helping Michigan Autoworkers.” “Now, would I like to see the bridge open? Absolutely. I think it'll be a good thing. But everybody, I think, needs to take a step back and say what is in the best interests of Michigan autoworkers? And I think trying to go to cut a deal here could be could go a long way to two to actually helping Michigan autoworkers.” [JR Morning, 2/12/26]
Rogers Received Contributions From The Billionaire Moroun Family Who Profited From The Ambassador Bridge And Sought To Block Gordie Howe
¶ The Moroun Family Contributed Over $21,000 To Rogers Campaign And Were Long-Time Supporters Of Rogers’ Political Career
Detroit Metro Times: Moroun Family Backed Mike Rogers As He Defends Blocking Gordie Howe Bridge [Detroit Metro Times, 3/4/26]
Billionaire Moroun Family Fought To Stop The Gordie Howe Bridge From Opening While Bankrolling Mike Rogers To The Tune Of $21,400. According to the Detroit Metro Times, “For years, the billionaire Moroun family fought to stop the publicly owned Gordie Howe International Bridge from breaking their monopoly at the Detroit-Windsor border. They poured millions into campaigns, bankrolled a failed ballot measure, and spread donations to friendly politicians, predominantly Republicans. One of them was Mike Rogers, who is now the leading Republican candidate for U.S. Senate. Despite what’s at stake for Michigan’s economy and international trade, Rogers is defending President Donald Trump’s threat to block the $4.7 billion bridge from opening, a move that would directly benefit the Morouns, who own the competing Ambassador Bridge. It could also damage Michigan’s economy and disrupt the flow of trade across one of North America’s busiest border crossings, economists and trade experts have warned. Campaign finance records show that Rogers’s congressional campaigns received 19 donations from the Moroun family for a total of $21,400.” [Detroit Metro Times, 3/4/26]
- In 2012, Mike Rogers Said The Moroun Family Was a “Long-Time Supporter.” According to the Detroit Metro Times, “Rogers’s relationship with the Morouns dates back to at least 2000, when he first received a donation from the family. In a February 2012 article in the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus, a Rogers spokesperson acknowledged the family had been a ‘long-time supporter,’ but Rogers declined to take a position on the bridge.” [Detroit Metro Times, 3/4/26]
¶ The Morouns Sought To Block The Gordie Howe Bridge To Protect Their Private Business Interests While Rogers And Trump Cashed Their Checks And Did Their Bidding
Mike Rogers Said That He Gives Trump “All The Leash He Needs” While Dismissing Fears About An Economic Fallout. According to the Detroit Metro Times, “The family’s company, the Detroit International Bridge Company, has spent years trying to derail the publicly financed crossing, which is jointly owned by Canada and Michigan. One of their reliable allies is Rogers, who said last month in Sterling Heights that he gives Trump ‘all the leash he needs’ on the bridge to get ‘leverage’ in trade negotiations with Canada and China. What he didn’t address were the warnings from trade economists, manufacturers, and business groups about the potential economic consequences of delaying the bridge. Rogers dismissed fears about an economic fallout, saying the Ambassador Bridge ‘has been operating for decades’ and that supply chains will continue to function. ‘Remember, no commerce is lost,’ Rogers said during a news conference on Feb. 10. ‘I saw a lot of people run around with their hair on fire. There’s a bridge, it’s open, it’s been operating for decades, and all of the supply chains that we use for going back and forth for Canada are still going to be existing.’” [Detroit Metro Times, 3/4/26]
Mike Rogers’ Campaign Said He Was Concerned About Chinese Cars, But Did Not Say Anything After Trump Said That Detroit Automakers Should “Let China Come In.” According to the Detroit Metro Times, “Rogers’s campaign declined to answer questions about the donations and whether they influence his position on the bridge. ‘Mike’s only interests are in supporting Michigan families and workers,’ Alyssa Brouillet, spokeswoman for the campaign, said in a written statement. ‘The bridge will open. It’s just a matter of when it opens, will Chinese cars be pouring over that bridge or not. If Mike’s opponents want to abandon Michigan autoworkers by shipping our jobs and business off to China, he’ll have that fight all day long.’ Yet Rogers has not publicly criticized Trump after the president suggested in January that Detroit automakers should ‘let China come in’ to the U.S. market.” [Detroit Metro Times, 3/4/26]
Trump Threatened The Opening Of The Ambassador Bridge’s Main Competitor After His Administration Met With The Moroun Family
Trump Threatened The Opening Of The Ambassador Bridge’s Main Competitor, The Gordie Howe International Bridge. According to Michigan Advance, “That now draws several GOP candidates for office this year into the same scrutiny facing President Donald Trump after he threatened on Monday the opening of the Ambassador Bridge’s main competitor, the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which is owned jointly by Canada and the State of Michigan. That includes those who were supportive of the president’s threats — U.S. Rep. John James, who is running for governor, former Congressman Mike Rogers, who is running for the U.S. Senate, and state House Speaker Matt Hall, who is up for reelection this year. Those who remained silent about the situation include U.S. Reps. Bill Huizenga and Tom Barrett, both of whom are also seeking reelection, and gubernatorial candidates Mike Cox, Aric Nesbitt and Tom Leonard, who are all running on the Republican side for governor along with James. Trump on Monday said that he would prevent the bridge from opening soon if Canada didn’t meet his demands on reciprocal tariffs and better trade agreements for the U.S. after the president’s punitive tariffs led Canada to seek other trade partners, particularly America’s chief economic adversary, China.” [Michigan Advance, 2/11/26]
The Moroun Family Lobbied The Trump Administration And Met With Howard Lutnick Just Hours Before Trump Threatened The Gordie Howe International Bridge. According to Michigan Advance, “Later Tuesday, it was reported that Trump wanted to renegotiate the deal that governs the bridge to take a cut of the bridge’s tolls, the primary mechanism of paying Canada back nearly $5 billion for financing construction of the bridge. Shortly thereafter, it was reported that the Moroun family lobbied the Trump administration and met with U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick just hours before Trump started using the bridge as a point of leverage in trade talks with Canada. The Moroun family, which owns the Ambassador Bridge and fought for more than a decade against the creation and the opening of a new bridge crossing, is a major supporter of Republican candidates, including Trump’s various campaigns for president. Publicly available campaign finance records show that the Morouns have also supported Rogers, James, Hall, Barrett and Huizenga over the years.” [Michigan Advance, 2/11/26]
Trump’s Move On The Gordie Howe Bridge Received Criticism From Right-Wing Editorials
Wall Street Journal Editorial: Trump’s “Crony Bridgegate Won’t Help Mr. Rogers.” According to a Wall Street Journal editorial, “The intervention is another illustration of the Administration’s governance by cronyism. All sorts of people are trying to reach Mr. Trump with special pleading, maybe even to present him with some gold-plated award that they invented yesterday. The bet is that, in return for their investment, they might soon have a pardon, or a tariff exemption, or even the President mucking up U.S. national interests to advance their agenda. What a political gift to Democrats, including in Michigan, where voters this November will replace Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and fill an open Senate seat. Running in the latter race is former Rep. Mike Rogers, a strong candidate for the GOP, and Democratic primary voters could nominate a real lefty. But Mr. Trump’s crony bridgegate won’t help Mr. Rogers. Democrats will say Michigan needs somebody in Washington who will stop Mr. Trump from arbitrarily closing international crossings on a random Monday for no good reason. If Democrats retake the House this fall, the Trump Administration will spend its final two years working in the shade, because it’ll be hard to see the sun through flying subpoenas.” [Editorial – Wall Street Journal, 2/11/26]
Detroit News Editorial: “There’s No Question The Gordie Howe Bridge Must Open.” According to a Detroit News editorial, “There’s no question the Gordie Howe bridge must open. And when it does, Michigan and Canada must put together a strategy for delivering on the promises made when it was first proposed. That means attracting far more shipping business and developing out the envisioned job-creating logistics facilities on both sides of the river. Trump could help mightily by repealing his tariffs and abiding by existing free trade agreements with Canada, and to start treating our largest trading partner with the respect it deserves. Or he could allow a sparkling new, unused bridge to stand as a monument to his pique.” [Editorial – Detroit News, 2/11/26]
Washington Post Editorial: “Threatening To Block The Bridge From Opening Is An Own Goal.” According to a Washington Post editorial, “Canada financed $4.7 billion in construction costs and will recoup its investment through tolls, but Michigan has part ownership, and the bridge will operate as a partnership. Michigan’s economy is already reeling from tariffs, which have destroyed manufacturing jobs and made homes more expensive by driving up construction costs. Trump’s latest bluster could help Democrats hold an open Senate seat and the governorship, even though he carried Michigan twice. Carney called Trump on Tuesday to make the case for the bridge, but there’s no way this donnybrook makes him rethink his view that the U.S. cannot be counted upon as a reliable long-term partner. Even if Trump backs down, threatening to block the bridge from opening is an own goal.” [Editorial – Washington Post, 2/10/26]