Plans to build a plant in Michigan to make semiconductors have fallen through. On Wednesday, Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said that the reason for this was “massive economic uncertainty.”
A big goal for Whitmer, a Democrat who might run for president in 2028 and is now in her last few years as governor of the swing state Michigan, was to bring the company to the state.
The second term of President Donald Trump is focused on boosting domestic industry. To encourage companies to build and stay in the United States, the president has used tariffs. Whitmer didn’t say Trump’s name, but she did blame him for the tariffs that have been shaking up the economy a few times this year.
“Their board made this decision during a time of economic turmoil across the country, which could get worse as even higher tariffs are feared,” Whitmer said in a statement.
Whitmer didn’t name the business, but state records show that Sandisk Corp., a tech company based in California, was looking at the huge 1,300-acre site near Flint. They planned to create 9,400 jobs and another 5,000 construction jobs as a result.
Sandisk wouldn’t say anything on Wednesday.
Politicians in the state, both Republicans and Democrats, quickly said different things about the news.
The White House said in response to Whitmer’s comments that Trump’s government is using tariffs and other methods to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. in important areas like semiconductors.
Desai said that this year’s new semiconductor development in Texas and Arizona was a win for the Trump administration in the tech and chips business.
Other Democrats quickly said that Trump’s economic policies were to blame for the loss in Michigan on Wednesday.
A Democrat from the area named U.S. Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet said in a statement, “Trump’s abandonment of long-term investments and chaotic tariff practices are not only driving up prices, they just killed 10,000 good-paying jobs.” “This could have made a big difference in the economy of mid-Michigan.”
