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Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
In Michigan's Macomb County, voters share mixed emotions on Trump's first 100 days
North of Detroit, Macomb County represents a big source of Republican votes in metro Detroit. And in the county, Michiganders view President Donald Trump's first 100 days back in the White House as everything from "brilliant" to "bold" to "chaotic." Trump carried Macomb County by 13 percentage points in the 2024 election on his way to winning Michigan. He campaigned in the county frequently and even made another stop in the area April 29 to mark 100 days back in office. The Detroit Free Press, Lansing State Journal and Center for Community Journalism - Michigan spoke with voters in the region as part of a project interviewing more than 100 Michiganders about Trump's first 100 days. Michael Coraci, 44, of Shelby Township, said he was laid off from an electric vehicle battery startup when President Donald Trump won a second term because the company knew demand would decline. Still, Coraci said he believes the country can survive a Trump presidency despite his disagreement with Trump's approach. "It's chaos for business and the negotiation strategies seem to be ineffective. You have to unplug from the day-to-day and say 'where's it going to go?' I don't think we've had really too many bad effects from it and maybe we'll get some good out of the policies, despite the poor taste it leaves in your mouth.' — Jamie L. LaReau Don Rennaker, 58, of Clinton Township, is a retired corrections officer now working in security and running his own business. He supports President Donald Trump for addressing issues 'most of us have probably never seen before' and says the country needed to get back on track financially. While tariffs bring uncertainty, he said he believes they're necessary, saying, 'Other countries have taken advantage of us on trade.' He thinks government agencies need to be cleaned up and says abortion decisions in cases like rape or incest should be left to a woman, her doctor and her faith. — Brendel Hightower Catlin Ruprecht, 40, of Mount Clemens, believes President Donald Trump has been 'doing everything right' in his first months back in office and that the president's tariffs will ultimately be in the best interest of the country, even if the initial adjustment period is a bit rough. 'We've been getting ripped off by all these other countries,' he said. 'I believe in it for the long run, (but) it's going to be hard at first.' He respects how Trump is doing the things that he said he was going to do: 'He is a business guy and I'd rather have a business guy run the country than somebody that's all about politics." — JC Reindl Joshua Trever, 51, of Mount Clemens, is a retired Marine who has voted for President Donald Trump all three times. 'It was hard for me to swallow my beliefs and vote for him the first time around," he said, "because I didn't consider him a conservative — I'm still not sure I do — but decision after decision, I've liked him." Trever says that while he knows a bit about money, he is not an expert on tariffs and therefore isn't going to second-guess the president right now. 'This country has weathered a lot, so I think we can weather some tariffs. And no one else has tried to put us back on track,' he said. He is optimistic about the rest of Trump's second term, as well as the prospects for the stock market recovering what it has lost in these first weeks since the big rollout of the tariffs. 'You buy when things are low," he said, "and I wish I had more money right now to buy." — JC Reindl Willie Richardson, 82, of Chesterfield Township, is a retired SMART bus driver. He has been a widower for five years (he was married to Barbara Martin of The Supremes). He voted straight-ticket Democratic in the last election, and, of course, that means he voted for Kamala Harris, although he said he knew she wasn't going to win. Richardson is troubled by many things he has seen from the Trump administration so far, but it's exactly what he expected. Trump 'told us what he's going to do while he was on the campaign. People just didn't believe it.' That includes cutting programs that help poor people and deporting people who don't have criminal records and are just trying to make a living, Richardson said. Trump's economics don't 'match' unless you're a billionaire or a millionaire, but those folks don't know anything about having to pay $3 for a loaf of bread that used to cost $1.25, he said. — Eric D. Lawrence Jason Nowak, 51, of Clinton Township, is a UAW member who works at Stellantis' Detroit Assembly Complex-Jefferson, the plant formerly known as Jefferson North Assembly Plant. He has been there 30 years. Nowak leans 'more Republican' and voted for President Donald Trump in the election. Nowak likes what Trump's doing, specifically when it comes to tariffs, which he said are needed. 'I just want to see the economy and everything equal out with the other countries. I want to see their tariffs come down and be more equalized and fair trading,' he said. He said people are nervous but that's because of the uncertainty, which will pass, and he wants Trump to keep doing what he's doing. — Eric D. Lawrence Lindsey Sokana, 38, of Shelby Township, is an ice cream shop owner who most closely identifies with the Republican Party. She feels hopeful about the start of President Donald Trump's second term. She said she likes his idea of trying to clean up waste. She agrees with his ideas on tariffs but thinks "it's too fast," saying she doesn't believe society can produce what he wants it to produce that quickly. She wants to see more jobs created and products come from the U.S. What would she like to see less of? "I feel like we're taxed every which way. As a business owner, a small business owner, it's like you can never get ahead. There's always something. Maybe like too much government. I understand the reasons for it. It has to be broad so it will cover everything. But I just feel like it's hard to make a living, you know, when you're a small business trying to fight against big corporations or big franchises." She said she agrees with some of the things Trump says but doesn't like the way he speaks, and the way he conducts himself, "is not how I would." — Christina Hall AJ Whitehead, 21, of Warren, is a junior studying mechanical engineering at Michigan State University. As the professional world approaches, Whitehead said he has felt the pressure of thriving under President Donald Trump's political atmosphere. He is concerned about opportunity, the cost of living and political divisiveness. 'You know, the whole Trump administration doesn't make it seem like I have a secure future in a way,' Whitehead said, 'being an African American and just people with different backgrounds … I don't really know what my future holds.' The uncertainty has become a burden, though accepting the things he can't control has prompted a sense of gratitude. 'As long as I have breath coming out of my lungs and in my lungs, I'm always gonna be positive,' Whitehead said. Moving forward, he wants to see more empathy in political conversations and advocacy for the little guy. — Sarah Moore William Appleberry, 80, of Warren, a retired electronics technician who described himself as "center-left," chose "disappointment" as the word he'd use to describe the start of President Donald Trump's second term. "Disappointment at the way our country is treating its allies. Disappointment with the way we're treating Ukraine. Disappointment with the way universities are being treated. Disappointment with the total disregard for the rule of law and due process. I could go on but you get the idea," Appleberry said. Appleberry said he understands the focus on issues such as the national debt and immigration, "but bull-in-a-china-shop is not the way to go about it." — Keith Matheny Patricia Miller, 55, a payroll professional who lives in Sterling Heights, is a Republican who voted for Donald Trump for president at every opportunity she has had, in 2016, 2020 and 2024. She said she is pleased with his priorities and strong, quick actions in his second term. "I think Trump did an excellent job securing the previously wide-open borders," she said. "This should reduce crime and afford our legal immigrants the opportunities they deserve, while preserving other social benefits for legal citizens of the United States." Miller also supported Trump's executive order recognizing only two genders, male and female. "There should not be biological males participating in female sports," she said. "It's physically unfair and minimizes the huge accomplishments for which so many women have sacrificed." She's more unsure about tariffs, however. "I'm hoping the tariffs will provide revenue for our government while keeping more jobs right here in the U.S.," she said. — Keith Matheny A.J. Smith, 43, a car wash manager from St. Clair Shores, typically votes Republican and views President Donald Trump's first 100 days in office as a sign of strength. "He's really transparent. … He's trying to show us what goes on, why we have a DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) … it's mindboggling the s--- that we're spending money on." Smith supports Trump's dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development, which cut funding from numerous programs, including one that allows children overseas to watch "Sesame Street." He also supports Trump's plan to cut funding for NPR and PBS. "The spending is out of hand right now," he said. He also hopes Trump's plan to protect tips and overtime from taxes goes through. "I'll get a huge raise automatically," said Smith, who's optimistic about the future. "The last time he was in office, it was a solid state," he said. "He don't take no crap from anybody." — Tresa Baldas Warren Holloway, 43, of Sterling Heights, said if you had asked him a year ago what his political affiliation was, he wouldn't hesitate to say Democrat. Today, he's not so sure. He said he is hopeful that the chaos President Donald Trump has caused in his first 100 days will end up benefiting Americans and believes the aim is to improve the country's global standing. "He put out so many executive orders, it's hard to keep up. The hot button issue is the tariffs — tariffs could have had a much more positive spin if done with a scalpel rather than a sledgehammer," Holloway said. — Jackie Charniga Roxanne Jabalee, 66, a sales manager in the shower industry from St. Clair Shores, applauds President Donald Trump for doing "everything that he talked about doing." "He's working to clean up the messes that have caused our debt," she said, noting she supports the Department of Government Efficiency initiatives and the tariffs. "Other countries have been taking advantage of us. He's the only one with the guts to stand up to those countries." She also credits Trump with calming the public's economic fears, saying her customers have started keeping their appointments, where before they canceled them. She hopes Trump's plan to protect Social Security from being taxed goes through, as she will retire soon. She also said she is concerned that young people are making decisions without input from their parents and she believes parents should have more say or control over gender identity matters. She's also optimistic about the future under Trump, saying: "He has more experience this time." — Tresa Baldas Amy Barbieri, 45, of Warren, is a small business owner who sells metaphysical goods like tarot cards on TikTok Shop. She's more of a Democrat but voted for President Donald Trump in the last two elections, and even boasted a large Trump flag in her yard. But now she's turning on him. She fears threats on food assistance, "whatever's going on with Elon Musk and Social Security and DOGE," and now, the tariffs. "I work on TikTok. I sell on TikTok Shop. That's my whole business. That's my whole source of income since I lost my job in automotive manufacturing," Barbieri said. "I've made good money selling on TikTok, but I import from China. So now I just lost my small business. So no, I'm not a Trump supporter anymore." — Andrea Sahouri At an April 19 rally against the President Donald Trump administration, Olivia Quinal, 59, of St. Clair Shores, stood on the sidewalk blowing into a vuvuzela. In her 22 years working as a social worker in public schools, Quinal said she was trained to move slowly, to rely on a rigorous review of facts and data. In Trump's second term, she's not seeing the same meticulous approach she thinks public services need. "He's willy-nilly doing things. And I'm a retired school social worker, so I'm all about data, facts," Quinal said. "And the things that he's doing is very impulsive, very impulsive. You can't just do things without dissecting it." — Liam Rappleye Toni Apostoloski, 50, of Macomb Township, is an engineer who says he mostly aligns with the Democratic Party. He describes the start of President Donald Trump's second term as "chaotic … Definitely chaotic. Things have been pretty wild … Lots of stuff going on in the news. It's kinda hard to keep track of everything. And it's just, it's been a wild ride so far and it's only been three months." He understands the American dream is to have everything built here and Trump's "whole spiel about Make America Great Again, I mean, it's a wonderful dream to have … but he's goin' about the whole thing all wrong," citing the raising, then pulling back of tariffs and firing federal employees "willy-nilly." "I get it if you want to run America like a business. I don't believe it should be run like a business. It is definitely a government entity that works totally differently than a corporation, but that's how his mindset works," he says. Apostoloski says he wants less see-sawing on issues and, instead, having and sticking with a plan. — Christina Hall This series was reported by: Dana Afana, Lily Altavena, Sarah Atwood, Tresa Baldas, Duante Beddingfield, Dave Boucher, Lisa Vidaurri Bowling, Jackie Charniga, Natalie Davies, Paul Egan, Eric Guzman, Christina Hall, Brad Heineman, Clara Hendrickson, Brendel Hightower, Johnathan Hogan, Violet Ikonomova, Cassidey Kavathas, Georgea Kovanis, Jamie L. LaReau, Eric D. Lawrence, Arpan Lobo, Keith Matheny, Sarah Moore, Darcie Moran, David Rodriguez Muñoz, Corey J. Murray, David Panian, Jenna Prestininzi, Nour Rahal, Nushrat Rahman, Liam Rappleye, Don Reid, Adrienne Roberts, Andrea May Sahouri, Beki San Martin, Susan Selasky, Kristen Jordan Shamus, Scott Talley, Kristi Tanner, Connor Veenstra, Tess Ware, Niraj Warikoo, Jalen Williams, John Wisely, Suzanne Nolan Wisler and Frank Witsil. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: In Michigan's Macomb County, voters get candid on Trump's 1st 100 days
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
In Mid-Michigan and Thumb area, residents share hopes, doubts after Trump's first 100 days
Outside of metro Detroit, Michiganders in the central region of the state say President Donald Trump's first 100 days in office have certainly been filled with headlines: Supporters and detractors of the president alike have described the past few months in Washington as "eventful," "exhausting" and "lively." Stretching from the capital region to the tri-cities area in the Thumb, parts of mid-Michigan vary in their political behavior. There are Democratic enclaves that supported Kamala Harris, like Lansing and Flint, but in the wide swaths of exurban communities between cities, Trump enjoyed strong support. The Detroit Free Press, Lansing State Journal and Center for Community Journalism - Michigan spoke with voters in the region as part of a project interviewing more than 100 Michiganders about Trump's first 100 days. Alissa Secco, a Howell Republican and Trump voter, visited Brighton to celebrate her 42nd birthday in April. The mother of two said she's focused on the economy, particularly real estate. She said she thinks it's too soon to say whether President Donald Trump's policies are helping the country but she's confident they will. "You hear all these things … that they promised to do and they're doing it." However, she thinks the country is too divided and wants people to find ways to come together. "Even if you don't agree with (Trump's) personal things, agree with his politics, that it's good for our country." — Dave Boucher Bentley Folse, 50, of Brighton, would have picked President Donald Trump in 2024 if he thought it was worth his time to vote. But, now, the self-described independent who works in the remodeling business said he's concerned about tariffs. "I know the tariffs are gonna screw me over … it's just gonna cost more and take longer to get (materials). And it already takes a long time to get. And so, it's a little scary." Still, he prefers Trump over Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, since most of his clients skew toward Trump. But, overall, he thinks all politicians are out of touch. — Dave Boucher Gavin Stover, 24, of Flushing is a lab assistant at the University of Michigan Flint, where he's studying wildlife biology. He typically votes Democratic, though he doesn't consider himself a Democrat. He said he's exhausted by the first 100 days of President Donald Trump's second term and generally pessimistic about the rest of it. "Everything is always happening and nothing feels like it's going in the right direction," he said. "I'm just kind of like steadying myself, hoping to power through it. Just get through it. Once it's over, it's over. Hopefully." — John Wisely Marquis Conway, 34, of Mount Morris, works in an auto supply factory. He didn't vote in 2024 because he couldn't get to his local precinct in time. He said he intended to vote for President Donald Trump and he's generally optimistic about the future. "With him, you know what you're getting," he said. "With Kamala (Harris), that was just too much politics." — John Wisely Jane Gambaccini, 71, of Brighton, is an independent who leans toward the Democrats and voted for Kamala Harris in 2024. She's upset President Donald Trump "acts like a king" and believes his tariffs are making life more expensive. "Since he's come, prices have gone up more and there are less jobs." Her husband Tom Gambaccini, 72, agrees, adding he thinks Trump has pivoted away from promises to cut prices that he made during the campaign. — Dave Boucher Ron Galard, 60, of Brighton, is a former independent who feels like President Donald Trump has transformed the Republican Party for the better. He likes that Trump moved quickly to sign executive orders and deliver on campaign promises and he supports Trump's work to negotiate trade deals, particularly with China, which Galard said is stealing American jobs. "Most presidents kicked the can, (Trump) stomped on the can and he's putting America first," Galard said. — Tess Ware Deb Drick, 64, of Howell, is a lifelong Republican who is feeling very optimistic about Trump's second term. She said she would like to see him better communicate the reasons behind some of his decisions, like the tariffs. She also said she would like to see him discuss his opponents without insulting them. She supports the work of DOGE — the Department of Government Efficiency — and likes that Trump has worked quickly to start delivering on campaign promises. "If what he's done so far continues, I suspect we're going to be in real good shape." — Tess Ware Lew Wilson, 89, of Eaton Rapids, is a retired Michigan State Police trooper. He said he was optimistic about the way things are going. He said he wasn't concerned about the fluctuating stock market because it isn't a reflection of the economy and news about it was being overstated. He added that he was happy the undocumented immigrants who are in the country were being forced out. — Sarah Atwood Jerry Catlin, 78, of Lapeer, is worried and waiting for the other shoe to drop. He said he doesn't check his pension or 401(k) daily, lest he be overwhelmed with the impact of President Donald Trump's maneuvers shaking the stock market. Catlin is worried about how the current president may change health care — he is on Medicare — and said people his age don't want to be worried about that every day. They worked all their lives putting into such funds. 'Everything the guy says is a lie,' he said of Trump. He pointed to Trump's election promises to lower prices. And Catlin said Trump's rich friends are benefiting amid the market fluctuations. Ordinary people who can't see that are 'crazy,' he said. 'Democrats at least pretend to care about people,' he said. But then, he also said Democrats aren't doing anything to stop Trump, just 'whining.' 'Wake up America, before he crashes everything," Catlin said. — Darcie Moran Mike Sanchez, 45, of Charlotte, said he voted for President Donald Trump three times and would again if he was able. He said he feels great about how Trump is doing so far and it'll take a little bit of time for actions like the tariffs to have their intended effect. He's still looking for prices to go down but he understands it's "not realistic" for them to drop on day one. — Sarah Atwood Beckett Flint is a 51-year-old process server from Fenwick. He is troubled by President Donald Trump's interpretation of the Constitution. "Our Constitution is there for a reason and it seems to be being ignored and thrown out," he said, referring to Trump's recent talk of deporting American citizens, and other issues. "I worry that we're going to go so far down this rabbit hole of destroying the Constitution and human rights, that we can't pull ourselves back out." As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Flint, who is a transgender man, is concerned about Trump's executive orders impacting transgender people. But, ultimately, he said, "it's the Constitution. Secondary is rights of all of ours. Not just gay rights, not just trans rights, but the rights of all U.S. citizens … and immigrants coming in that want to be U.S. citizens. … We should be protected." — Georgea Kovanis Perry Blackwell, 32, of Port Huron, is a factory worker who said he typically supports Republicans. He said he strongly supported President Donald Trump's stance on tariffs, believing they will help "wean" the United States off of foreign products. "I was a supporter of the tariffs," Blackwell said. "We need more factories here and the only way to do that is to jack up the prices." — Johnathan Hogan Robert Crull, 45, of Fort Gratiot Township, is unemployed and lives off of disability. He has always supported Republicans, stating he hopes the party continues to hold the White House in years to come. Crull said he was supportive of President Donald Trump's immigration and economic policies, believing the president will bring down prices. "I voted for Trump … to help the economy," Crull said. — Johnathan Hogan Pamela Culler, 70, of Kawkawlin Township, is a retired school bus driver and dispatcher who said she has voted to send President Donald Trump to the White House three times. So far, she said she likes what she's seeing from his second term, including his tariffs. 'I think he's doing great. He's on fire, he really is,' she said. Culler expressed hope that both prices will come down and more stuff will be made in the U.S. under Trump. Is there anything she doesn't like about the president? 'Well, we could do without his antics sometimes. I'm not fond of that,' she said, laughing. 'He needs to be a little more couth, you know? He's crude sometimes. Other than that? Eh, he's got a big ego. But I'll take it. He's better than what we've had.' — Clara Hendrickson Talking about what he thinks President Donald Trump has gotten right so far came easily to Trump supporter Alan Romig, 69, of Bay City, who gave a one-word answer: 'Everything.' But there's still more the retired mechanical engineer said he wants to see from the Trump administration. 'I'd like to see more of the corrupt politicians prosecuted,' he said. His list included some Democrats. But he didn't stop there. 'There's a lot of dirty Republicans,' he said. Asked about Trump policies he expects to impact him personally, Romig called out the president's tax plan. Does he think he'll keep more money in his pocket? No. 'I don't think I'll have any less,' he said. — Clara Hendrickson Sherry Pfenninger, 69, of Bay City, said she's tired of hearing politicians pledging to usher in changes on the campaign trail only to fall short once elected. But, she said, President Donald Trump is different because, so far, he has followed through on his promises to voters. She said she likes what billionaire Trump aide Elon Musk has done with his Department of Government Efficiency. 'I feel so much better that we're seeing where our tax money is going,' she said. 'There's a lot of, I think, bloating in the federal government and I think we need to, just like any business — just like my own household — we need to scale down.' She said she wants to see more onshoring and the creation of good jobs. 'Not just mediocre like we've been kind of pushed into,' she said. — Clara Hendrickson President Donald Trump isn't perfect, said Erica Rodriguez, 45, of Midland. But she said she feels like he has learned from his first term in the White House. 'He went in very, I guess, naive, and he said the second time around, 'I know the game now,' ' she said. 'He was already getting his party — everybody — ready so that he can come in guns blazing.' Rodriguez said she's retired now but worked as a probation officer in California — a state she labeled as corrupt — before she moved to Michigan. While she said she aligns most closely with the Republican Party, she expressed an openness to supporting Democratic policies if she thinks they're better than the GOP option. 'I don't just support everything blindly. There's corruption in both parties,' Rodriguez said. But she said she doesn't like the Democrats' attacks against Trump's actions, saying he's just trying to protect the U.S. — Clara Hendrickson Cody Lawrence, 37, of Bay City, is a fan of President Donald Trump. 'I like that he's not a politician, and a businessman. He can relate more to just the everyday person, I guess, too. Even though we're not all billionaires,' said Lawrence, a part-time musician, who also does demo and remodeling jobs. He called out what he sees as misleading information about Trump's actions before saying he thinks tariffs could result in a manufacturing boom in the area where he lives. Lawrence likes some of the actions Trump has taken on former President Joe Biden's policies, specifically calling out an order Trump signed to reverse Biden's phase-out of single-use plastic straws. 'He's kind of getting it back to normalcy again,' Lawrence said. — Clara Hendrickson Asher Reese, 30, of Lansing, fears the United States is slipping into fascism. At a protest in Troy, he held a sign reading "End fascism before it ends you," and said he fears the Trump team isn't fit to lead the country. "(President Donald Trump is) incompetent in terms of who he's put in the cabinets," Reese said. "He just kind of feels like winging it, you know, doing his own thing, not actually doing anything for the people like he's supposed to be." But if there's optimism to be found, Reese said he sees it in protests and local elections. "I feel pessimistic for the presidency and really government in general but I do feel optimistic in the sense of what I have seen with the protests, but also some recent elections; red districts and all that have been either flipping blue or leaning more towards blue or more kind of purplish, right?" he said. — Liam Rappleye Thomas Koliouplous, 36, of Howell, described President Donald Trump's first 100 days as lively, with a lot of things going on. "It's not necessarily bad, it's not necessarily good," he said. But he does believe the president is headed toward "what seems to be a good future." — Kristi Tanner This series was reported by: Dana Afana, Lily Altavena, Sarah Atwood, Tresa Baldas, Duante Beddingfield, Dave Boucher, Lisa Vidaurri Bowling, Jackie Charniga, Natalie Davies, Paul Egan, Eric Guzman, Christina Hall, Brad Heineman, Clara Hendrickson, Brendel Hightower, Johnathan Hogan, Violet Ikonomova, Cassidey Kavathas, Georgea Kovanis, Jamie L. LaReau, Eric D. Lawrence, Arpan Lobo, Keith Matheny, Sarah Moore, Darcie Moran, David Rodriguez Muñoz, Corey J. Murray, David Panian, Jenna Prestininzi, Nour Rahal, Nushrat Rahman, Liam Rappleye, Don Reid, Adrienne Roberts, Andrea May Sahouri, Beki San Martin, Susan Selasky, Kristen Jordan Shamus, Scott Talley, Kristi Tanner, Connor Veenstra, Tess Ware, Niraj Warikoo, Jalen Williams, John Wisely, Suzanne Nolan Wisler and Frank Witsil. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: In Mid-Michigan, Thumb area, voters get candid on Trump's 1st 100 days
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
In Michigan's Wayne County, voters weigh in on Trump's first 100 days in office
If you ask Wayne County residents, they'll tell you President Donald Trump's first 100 days back in the White House have ranged from "turbulent" to "strong" to "evil." Last year, Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris outpaced Trump, 62% to 33% in Wayne County. Home to Detroit and Michigan's most populous county, Wayne County is a hub for Democratic votes. But Republicans have made concerted efforts in the region — Trump campaigned multiple times in Detroit last year, and made stops in Dearborn and Hamtramck to appeal to Arab American and Muslim voters. The Detroit Free Press, Lansing State Journal and Center for Community Journalism - Michigan spoke with voters in the region as part of a project interviewing more than 100 Michiganders about Trump's first 100 days. Natasha Blakely, 30, of Hamtramck, is a Democrat who leans progressive and she has a long list of concerns. For one, she's horrified by the Trump administration's "weird fixation" on transgender people's rights. For another, the back-and-forth on tariffs has "wreaked havoc" on everybody's lives and the economy, she said. Asked how she feels about the next four years of President Donald Trump, Blakely said she doesn't feel good about it but still remains hopeful. A number of friends want to leave the country and she has thought about it, too, but she doesn't think that's the right move. "I don't think that's a long-term solution and it's not practical anyway for people to just leave en masse but I get the desire to just leave for somewhere that might feel better but, ultimately, I'm not somebody who likes to give up," Blakely said. — Nushrat Rahman Imad Hamad, executive director of the American Human Rights Council in Dearborn, voted for Green Party candidate Jill Stein in the November election. A Palestinian immigrant, Hamad said he was concerned about the Biden administration's support for Israel, with money and weapons, as it launched attacks against Palestinians and others. Vice President Kamala Harris, running on the presidential Democratic ticket, lost in many of the heavily-Arab precincts in Wayne County. "We felt that we don't want our vote to go to waste, and we chose to support third party, even if it indirectly helped the election of President (Donald) Trump," Hamad explained. Now, Hamad is concerned about some of Trump's actions, such as targeting immigrants with pro-Palestinian views, but he adds that this type of targeting is not new. "These are the most interesting and challenging 100 days ever in the history of presidential administrations," he said. There is "a state of fear and anxiety" creating "chilling effects" among immigrants, he added. "The Constitution is on trial." — Niraj Warikoo David Hardin Jr., 51, is the owner of a Detroit barbershop in Detroit's West Village, where he also lives. Hardin typically votes Democratic and he had a Kamala Harris campaign sign posted in his shop throughout the election season. In a word, Hardin described the first 100 days of President Donald Trump's second term as "unconstitutional," and then he went on to describe a feeling of powerlessness. "What's frustrating is that now everything is out of the hands of the voters. Even the Republicans that aren't with what he is doing are standing quiet. They need to speak up so it can't be done. If you stand mute, you might as well be with what he's doing." Hardin's examples of "unconstitutional" actions taken by Trump include "deporting people without due process" and the "attack on the Department of Education." — Scott Talley Steve Kerr, 66, of Canton, is a retiree who is concerned about a collection of actions by the Trump administration, including tariffs on the nation's allies and the influence of billionaire Elon Musk. "My daughter is a lawyer in California. She's ready to leave this country because of him and what he's doing to our nation," Kerr said. — Jalen Williams Kate Mason, 37, of Hamtramck, is a Democrat disappointed with her party at the state and national levels. Mason described the Trump administration as a "dumpster fire" that's "dismantling democracy right in front of us." "The destruction of so many people's lives for no reason other than just sheer malice and hatred is staggering," she said, pointing to cuts to the federal workforce and the move to deport Venezuelans to El Salvador. She said she's worried, scared and furious about the prospect of another four years of President Donald Trump. She feels a "deep sense of despair and sadness" but her work for a statewide grassroots nonprofit helps her channel her worries. Political leaders on the left are not meeting the moment, she said. When Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris lost in November, Mason said she was shocked but not surprised. "We're gonna have to do a reckoning on the left and figure out how we come back from this," Mason said. — Nushrat Rahman Curtis White, 78, a Vietnam War veteran from Detroit, marched down Woodward Avenue on April 5 as part of 'Hands Off' protests held in opposition to President Donald Trump's policies. He said he's worried about veteran benefits and programs being defunded and shut down. He said he doesn't align with a party but uses his discretion each election. 'We (veterans) are concerned about what's going to happen with our benefits, the veterans who are homeless and the veterans who need so many other things," he said. "All the things that have supposedly been shut down, there are people concerned about that and I am among those people concerned about that. … It seems like everything is on a downward spiral.' — Natalie Davies Ashley Lawrence, 36, of Inkster, works on the cleaning crew at the Macy's store at Southland Center in Taylor and is a caregiver for a girl with autism. In the last election, she said she wrote in Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' name for president. She described President Donald Trump's first 100 days in office as "scary." 'I've been seeing like some crazy things happening with planes and stuff that I wasn't seeing before,' Lawrence said, adding that she wishes there were fewer fights and less finger-pointing in politics and more 'respect and willingness to help the people who really need the help.' She said she opposes mass deportations but agrees with Trump's opposition to LGBTQ+ and transgender rights. "That might be one thing he got right,' Lawrence said. 'We've just got to see what's gonna happen at this point and just pray because, at the end of the day, it doesn't matter who the president is. God is in charge.' — Kristen Jordan Shamus Jay Carter, 49, of Taylor, voted for President Donald Trump in the November election. "I'm optimistic,' said Carter, who oversees laundry services at the Red Roof Inn Ann Arbor North. In his view, the president's first 100 days in office are going 'extremely well.' 'I like what I'm seeing economically so far. … Prices are a little high but as someone who took an economics course, I understand that when you start imposing tariffs … it's going to get worse before it gets better. I'm willing to wait six months to a year because I know these things do take time.' Carter said he isn't fond of the confrontational tact Trump has taken with Canadian leaders. 'The whole Canada as the 51st state bit was funny at first but, to me, it comes off as antagonistic,' he said. 'I have no problem with the Canadian people. … I'm not a fan of their government but I don't conflate the government of Canada with the people of Canada.' Carter said he'd love to see the president's economic policies put more money in the pockets of all Americans — 'it doesn't matter how they voted. And I would like to see a lot less … divisive rhetoric on both sides of the aisle because, I'm going to be totally honest here, as a citizen I'm a little tired of seeing that." — Kristen Jordan Shamus Majed Moughni, 54, a Dearborn attorney, voted for an independent candidate, Cornel West, in the November election due to concern over deaths in Gaza and Lebanon. Moughni's views were echoed by many in Dearborn, which has the highest percentage of residents of Middle Eastern descent among cities in the U.S. President Donald Trump won in Dearborn and Jill Stein got almost 19% of the vote. Now, some are concerned with Trump's attacks on immigrants and worry his tariffs will hurt the economy. Michiganders have "been affected by Trump's tariffs and immigrant policies," Moughni said. "Many are at risk of being deported. He has struck a fear in their hearts." Moughni added that Trump "trampled the U.S. Constitution by arresting and deporting legal residents." Trump is acting reckless by surrounding "himself with 'yes men' and like the 'emperor who has no clothes', he has no one to tell him he is wrong," Moughni said. — Niraj Warikoo Chuck Staffeld, 65, of Canton, is a retired assembly engineer who is a Libertarian at his core. He said he is suspicious of former President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party, wants President Donald Trump to "keep deporting and sending criminals to jail" and believes the federal government is too big. "They don't need to be doing all these things for me. I don't want them to do these things for me," Staffeld said. — Jalen Williams Arlene Hunter, 63, of Detroit, is a retired federal employee who used the word "horrible" to describe President Donald Trump's first 100 days of his second term. And without hardly any hesitation, she went on to describe specifically why she considers Trump's actions horrible: "I think that he is overstepping his power. There's no way that all of those probationary employees should have been fired because I worked for the Internal Revenue Service for 38 years and they say that we don't do any work. Well, I spent eight, nine, 10 hours a day on the phone talking to people and helping them make installment agreements so that they could pay their taxes. I just think that he's in there to be a power person. He's not being fair and the tariffs are messing with people's businesses and their money." — Scott Talley Reco Spencer, 50, of Canton, works at Henry Ford College. When voting in the past, he typically leaned Democratic, but in the 2024 presidential election, he voted for independent candidate Cornel West. "I can see what Trump's trying to do, but it's so erratic," Spencer said of the beginning of Trump's term. "I think he's going about the tariffs the wrong way. I understand what he's trying to do, but then it becomes more like, 'you do something to me, I'm gonna get back at you.' And then it starts to look like two kids fighting." — Nour Rahal Faye Nemer, 39, of Dearborn, is the CEO of the MENA American Chamber of Commerce. Typically a Democratic voter, she said she backed Trump for the first time in 2024, citing his early promises of bringing Middle East peace through diplomacy. Trump played an "integral role" in achieving the ceasefire resolutions in both Lebanon and Palestine, Nemer said. "There were violations, but it wasn't to the extent of what we were experiencing under President Biden. And then, lo and behold, we felt like there was a 180 (degree) shift in Middle East policy, and the gloves were off with regard to Palestine." Though initially optimistic about Trump, Nemer said she has grown increasingly concerned with the administration's military aid to Israel, ongoing wars in the Middle East, and crackdowns on student protesters. However, she still believes the administration can be held accountable through a shift in foreign policy and stronger outreach to Arab Americans. — Nour Rahal Morgan Smith, 19, of Detroit, is a student interested in the arts and in the latest election, she voted for Kamala Harris. She is concerned about President Donald Trump's imposition of tariffs, and has seen costs in her own life increase. She enjoys playing "Mario Kart" and "The Legend of Zelda" but has watched the price of games skyrocket. "They're like, $90 now, when it used to be like $60, that's ridiculous," Smith said. "I can't really afford those, I can't get them when they come out." Looking toward the rest of his term, she said, "I'm happy this is the last time we'll see him." — Dana Afana Garrett Ellis, 52, of Detroit, worked as a machine operator in automotive manufacturing but he's out of work and looking for a job. He said the industry is slow due to difficulties in acquiring materials. "He's cutting everything out," Ellis said. "How are people going to live?" Imposing tariffs is "killing the world," he added. Ellis, an independent who did not vote in 2024, feels doubtful about the remainder of Trump's term. "I feel it's not gonna really get any better. I think it's gonna get a little worse. For real, you know, it's gonna get worse because he wants to be a dictator instead of a president, and he wants to be a businessman at the same time too." — Dana Afana Shavone Melton, 39, of Detroit, voted for President Donald Trump because she didn't like the other choices on the ballot. She thought he'd do a good job, she said, but now the mother of five doesn't like the direction of his administration. She's particularly concerned about food stamps, which help keep her children fed, particularly as food prices increase. "They're too high to even afford," she said. — Lily Altavena Shelby Beard, 31, of Flat Rock, is a biologist working in the science and medical research field, where she said there have been a lot of layoffs because of EPA cuts. She voted for Harris/Walz and thinks the few things Trump has done right, "don't outweigh the horrible things he has done." Beard hopes Trump accomplishes everything he wants to "so we can see the destruction he is capable of." After Cory Booker's speech, she is very optimistic. "I think it gave a lot of hope to the left. And, proves that we are not going to sit by and let everything that Trump is doing happen," she said. — Susan Selasky Rhea Williams, 77, of Detroit, says this country is heading toward a dictatorship. 'He said that he would be a dictator if he became president. And he's trying to do that," Williams said of President Donald Trump. And he's a leader who hasn't made good on his promises, she said. "Don't threaten my Social Security," Williams said. "Prices are just too high and he promised that prices would go down and they are not." — Andrea Sahouri Haley Cislo, 32, of Woodhaven, is a schoolteacher who has voted Republican in the past two elections. Although President Donald Trump and DOGE have taken steps to dismantle the Department of Education, she remains supportive of the administration and is "looking towards the future." "It's not easy topics but I'm remaining open and, again, trusting that whatever changes are made will ultimately support students and us educators," Cislo said. — Eric Guzman David Burbo, 62, of Trenton, said he believes President Donald Trump is doing the right thing. With tariffs, Burbo believes the U.S. should do the same to other countries. "We can't let everyone come over and get a free deal. Instead of giving these countries tons of money and not expecting anything from them," he said. Burbo believes that U.S. borders need to be secured: "We have to know who is coming to this country, from criminals to diseases and sicknesses," he said. — Susan Selasky John Linares tends to vote independent but didn't cast his vote during this past presidential election as a result of not supporting a candidate. The 69-year-old from Dearborn Heights said that President Donald Trump has done a terrible job in his first 100 days in office. 'I don't like what he's doing and I don't support him whatsoever,' Linares said. 'I think he's hurting more Americans and I think his interest is mainly on him.' — Eric Guzman Miklos Penzes, 57, of Wyandotte, said he voted for President Donald Trump during the 2024 presidential election. While he said he believes things have been going well and has supported the efforts from the president addressing Social Security and implementing DOGE, he also said that the tariffs have started to scare him and he doesn't want the administration to be all talk. "'Cause anyone can say stuff and if it don't happen, then it's just saying stuff," Penzes said. — Eric Guzman John Nixon, 62, a Detroit landscaper who works for himself, said he has voted in every presidential election — always Democratic. President Donald Trump's second term has been 'terrible' he says, raising the deportation of visa holders as one reason why. While Nixon hasn't been directly affected by Trump's policies, as an aging Black man who relies on Medicaid, he said he worries about potential cuts to health care and the emboldening of 'racist' police. Nixon said he was stressed about the direction the country was heading before Trump — particularly rising violent crime among youths. That stress is now amplified, with nightly flareups at 11 p.m., when he watches the TV news. 'I think Trump is gonna have us in a war and I really do think he's very prejudiced,' Nixon said. If Trump has one redeeming quality, it's that he 'stands up for America,' but in the next breath, Nixon backpedals, noting that Trump can also instigate foreign conflict. Referencing nuclear warfare, he said, 'Trump could push a button and everybody is gone.' — Violet Ikonomova Michael Hatch, 47, is a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians who lived in the Upper Peninsula for more than 30 years before recently moving to Flat Rock. He works as a carpenter, but also paints Native American art and is a Horse Dancer at Pow-Wows. Hatch never votes, not even in tribal elections, because 'They are modeled after the U.S. system.' He doesn't see much difference between the parties and would prefer a more native form of government where the grandmothers of the village ruled. He said President Donald Trump's tenure has been 'uninformed'and he'd like to see less 'bigotry and lying.' Hatch said the increase in ICE activity under Trump is affecting Native Americans. 'Just because we're brown, we look like Mexicans. I hate to say it, but it was like almost racial profiling, right there.' He said he has had friends and relatives detained who had to show their papers before being released. 'Like we always say, Natives don't cross borders, borders crossed us,' he said. — John Wisely Economic uncertainty brought on by President Donald Trump's global tariffs was particularly on the mind of Davis Greene, 23, of Detroit, a student at Macomb Community College, who called himself an independent. "I can tell it's already affecting a lot of society," he said. "I know some business owners who do business overseas. And now that prices are going up, that affects their livelihood. "I think the power of the U.S. dollar is severely going to change. The U.S. as a country, we're built a lot on our money." But Greene is staying even-keeled overall. "We've gone through a lot of different things through the years with different presidents, both good and bad," he said. "I'm a man of faith. As long as people have God with them, they will be all right. Once this term is over, we'll have another president, and he or she is going to have their own priorities and policies." — Keith Matheny Biaohua Yu, a 36-year-old neuroscience researcher who lives in Detroit, said he felt that "anger coming during the election. I see that anger manifesting now in terms of anger at the LGBT community, especially the transgender community, immigrants and … ignoring due process. It's manifesting more severe than I thought it was ever going to be." Yu, who is an immigrant — and U.S. citizen — said he will work on getting his parents' naturalization papers in order in case anyone should question their citizenship. He believes in streamlining the government but also believes the people President Donald Trump has put in charge of doing so are operating beyond their level of expertise. And Yu, who is gay, is worried that the Supreme Court's decision allowing same sex marriage could be overturned. "More racism, more expensive stuff and a lot more anxiety, that is what we get in this presidency," he said. — Georgea Kovanis Betty Romo, 40, of Lincoln Park, has lived in Michigan for 23 years after moving from Jalisco, Mexico, at a young age. She now lives in Lincoln Park and works at her family's business in southwest Detroit, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary this May. Romo has worked there for the past 10 years. 'I carry a deep sadness with me because of everything happening in our government," Romo said. "My heart aches for my community, for the fear we live with every day. The uncertainty about our future, about whether we'll be safe or allowed to stay, makes me feel helpless.' — David Rodriguez Muñoz Dachelle Carter, 28, of Lincoln Park and a grad student at Wayne State University, said the start of the President Donald Trump administration has just been chaos and a lot of things have been overturned. 'I'm currently at school and there has been a lot of pressure trying to finish school and knowing that everything, the changes that (have) been happening, has been affecting me and my schooling and financial aid," she said. The changes, Carter said, put her in distress because there is so much 'uncertainty regarding everything that is going on.' Pandora Hanshaw, a 56-year-old Detroit retiree, has always voted Democratic, but considers herself more of an independent — a fan and foe of various positions on either side of the aisle. Ahead of the last presidential election, she became a rare swing voter. Her socially conservative values and desire to see blue-collar jobs return to the Midwest from overseas almost prompted her to cast a ballot for now-President Donald Trump — and, in the Republican presidential primary, she even did. But by the time of the general election, with the Democratic nominee by then a Black woman, she decided to stick with personal tradition and vote blue. Hanshaw has mixed feelings on Trump's first 100 days. While she appreciates the spirit of his tariffs, she believes their rollout threatened to put the country in a worse position economically. And she disagrees with Trump's zealousness on immigration, as "there's more things going on." She also resents how he behaves. "His presentation is horrible to me," Hanshaw said. — Violet Ikonomova This series was reported by: Dana Afana, Lily Altavena, Sarah Atwood, Tresa Baldas, Duante Beddingfield, Dave Boucher, Lisa Vidaurri Bowling, Jackie Charniga, Natalie Davies, Paul Egan, Eric Guzman, Christina Hall, Brad Heineman, Clara Hendrickson, Brendel Hightower, Johnathan Hogan, Violet Ikonomova, Cassidey Kavathas, Georgea Kovanis, Jamie L. LaReau, Eric D. Lawrence, Arpan Lobo, Keith Matheny, Sarah Moore, Darcie Moran, David Rodriguez Muñoz, Corey J. Murray, David Panian, Jenna Prestininzi, Nour Rahal, Nushrat Rahman, Liam Rappleye, Don Reid, Adrienne Roberts, Andrea May Sahouri, Beki San Martin, Susan Selasky, Kristen Jordan Shamus, Scott Talley, Kristi Tanner, Connor Veenstra, Tess Ware, Niraj Warikoo, Jalen Williams, John Wisely, Suzanne Nolan Wisler and Frank Witsil. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: In Michigan's Wayne County, voters weigh in on Trump's first 100 days
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
In western, northern Michigan, voters weigh in on Trump's first 100 days
On his way to winning Michigan in the 2024 election, President Donald Trump won where he was expected to, including in parts of western and northern Michigan. And his supporters in that region back his first 100 days back in office, describing the early part of his tenure as "awesome" and "authentic." There is viewpoint variety in the region, however — some Michiganders are less enthusiastic about his second term's start. The Detroit Free Press, Lansing State Journal and Center for Community Journalism - Michigan spoke with voters in the region as part of a project interviewing more than 100 Michiganders about Trump's first 100 days. Becky Patrick, 69, of Allendale, more closely aligns with Democrats. She was a former administrator for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Quality. She said that President Donald Trump's second term hasn't had a direct effect on her due to her retired status and previously earning a decent living. She does worry about people not as insulated as her, such as immigrants and people who rely on government-funded programs. "I think there's a lot of people like that around the world and in this country, both who have not just been affected but been affected in their ability to stay alive," said Patrick. — Cassidey Kavathas For Jailyn Dawson, 26, the prominence of Elon Musk in the early part of President Donald Trump's second term is problematic. Musk, the billionaire owner of electric vehicle maker Tesla and social media company X (formerly Twitter), was tapped as an adviser early on in Trump's second stint as president. '(Trump) unofficially electing Elon and him having almost total control over a lot of things in the Department of Education … and just mass firings of a lot of federal employees over things like DEI, I think it's very unproper and unprofessional,' said Dawson, of Big Rapids. Dawson considers himself more of an independent, but did vote for Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, in the most recent presidential election, due to disagreements he had with how Trump handled his first term in the White House. — Arpan Lobo The U.S. Southern border with Mexico, and record numbers of crossings at it during former President Joe Biden's administration, were the driving force behind Ruth McCarthy's decision to vote for President Donald Trump in November. But McCarthy, 82, said she had long planned to support and vote for Trump again, as she did in 2016 and 2020. 'We had a bad four years,' McCarthy, of Big Rapids, said of Biden's tenure. She's confident Trump will steer the country in a positive direction in his second term, saying he had a track record of success during his first four years as president. — Arpan Lobo Laurie Callari, 64, has anxiety about what the future holds. She owns a business but she is a mother and grandmother first. She said she worries about the cost of prescriptions for her chronically ill daughter and the erasing of history for her African American adopted great niece and nephew. "Misinformation and censoring and all of these things that are happening under this administration, I feel is doing them such a disservice. They need to know history. They need to learn about the Holocaust. They need to learn about Black History Month. They need to learn about mistakes that have taken place so that they can make this world a better place." She said she is fed up with the misinformation being spread about autism by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. With aging parents, she also worries about Social Security and Medicaid, as well as being able to collect starting next year. "My life is so heavily impacted by my family and my worries and concerns for my family and those that I love in my community around me. I'm losing sleep," she said. — Cassidey Kavathas David Callari, 66, of Holland, said he is frustrated with the misinformation the Trump administration is sharing regarding tariffs. As a business owner, a majority of his product is purchased from China and can't be found in the United States. He is worried that the tariffs will force him and his customers out of business. "He's misinforming most of the American public when he keeps saying China is gonna pay all these tariffs. China is gonna do this. China does not pay these tariffs. The importer pays the tariff, who is somebody like myself who brings product in from China." "Eventually, we're all gonna pay the price," he said, "because if you look at the bottom of everything you buy or look at where it's made, a huge majority of this stuff is made in China. If nobody cared about it for the last 50 years, why all of a sudden should he come in and decide he's gonna change the world?" — Cassidey Kavathas Dan Mullet, 88, said he opposed President Donald Trump's candidacy 'from day one.' The early days of Trump's second term haven't given the Big Rapids resident reason to change his mind, Mullet said, accusing Trump of deceiving voters and misusing the presidency. 'I just hope we can survive what he's doing in Washington,' Mullet said. 'He is a danger in more ways than I could ever imagine.' Mullet said Trump has not lived up to campaign promises so far, although he didn't get into specific issues. — Arpan Lobo Dan Aerts, 75, doesn't believe President Donald Trump has the moral compass the office requires. The Paris, Michigan, resident said he's worried about funding cuts to public media services like NPR and PBS, calling it 'a disaster waiting to happen.' And although he personally isn't impacted by Trump's immigration policies, Aerts said the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man who was wrongly deported and transferred to an El Salvador prison, was a 'scandal.' — Arpan Lobo Betsy Rhein, 61, of Holland, harbors a large amount of fear, worry, anxiety and guilt, but not for herself or her family. She worries about marginalized populations. "I'm highly anxious because our country's system of checks and balances is being disregarded and ignored by those that we've entrusted to protect it," she said. "Honestly, I feel a bit guilty because I want to leave this country with more freedoms and protections than what I've lived. I fear that that's not going to be possible and I feel guilty that I don't know what to do about it." — Cassidey Kavathas Scott Reagan, 56, of Cadillac, said he was raised a Republican but voted Democratic, at times, before he decided to stop voting in all presidential elections, sometime before 2008. Reagan said he has concluded politics are designed to divide the country and it doesn't matter who is president. President Donald Trump continued that divisive pattern and made the 2024 presidential election especially divisive, he said. Reagan also does not trust the integrity of the election, saying, "It's rigged; it's actually fake." The ultimate intention is to create a society with pervasive camera surveillance and no cash transactions so the government can trace everyone's activities through their digital footprints for heightened control, he said. — Paul Egan Ruby Meekhof, 66, of Cadillac, said that as a retired dairy farmer, she has firsthand experience with unfair trade policies directed at the U.S. from Canada and Europe with respect to milk, and she supports what President Donald Trump is trying to do. As she loaded groceries into her vehicle, Meekhof acknowledged grocery prices are still high. She said she feels fortunate that she is able to absorb the inflation for now and respects the fact that not everyone can. "I realize that we have to go through some pain before things get reset," Meekhof said. She supports 100% the cuts made through the Department of Government Efficiency and said she is frustrated with both Congress and the courts for slowing Trump's progress. — Paul Egan Don Shaw, 58, of Houghton Lake, said he's pleased with the Donald Trump presidency so far. The gun dealer and firearms instructor said Trump is "trying to shake everything up," and the country needs that, including spending cuts and removal of undocumented immigrants. Shaw, a U.S. Air Force veteran of Operation Desert Storm, said he fully supports Trump's choice of former Fox News presenter Pete Hegseth as Defense secretary. Though some have criticized the choice of Hegseth because he lacks command experience, Shaw said the former Army National Guard officer can bring an important perspective from the military rank-and-file. Though many of the guns Shaw sells are manufactured in Croatia or elsewhere in Europe, he said he has not yet seen price inflation as a result of Trump's tariffs and retaliatory tariffs. "I think in the long run, it's going to end up being better, because if they lower theirs (tariffs), then it opens up the market for our stuff," he said. — Paul Egan This series was reported by: Dana Afana, Lily Altavena, Sarah Atwood, Tresa Baldas, Duante Beddingfield, Dave Boucher, Lisa Vidaurri Bowling, Jackie Charniga, Natalie Davies, Paul Egan, Eric Guzman, Christina Hall, Brad Heineman, Clara Hendrickson, Brendel Hightower, Johnathan Hogan, Violet Ikonomova, Cassidey Kavathas, Georgea Kovanis, Jamie L. LaReau, Eric D. Lawrence, Arpan Lobo, Keith Matheny, Sarah Moore, Darcie Moran, David Rodriguez Muñoz, Corey J. Murray, David Panian, Jenna Prestininzi, Nour Rahal, Nushrat Rahman, Liam Rappleye, Don Reid, Adrienne Roberts, Andrea May Sahouri, Beki San Martin, Susan Selasky, Kristen Jordan Shamus, Scott Talley, Kristi Tanner, Connor Veenstra, Tess Ware, Niraj Warikoo, Jalen Williams, John Wisely, Suzanne Nolan Wisler and Frank Witsil. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: In western, northern Michigan, voters weigh in on Trump's 1st 100 days
