The Detroit Regional Chamber is hosting a Detroit mayoral candidate debate during the 2025 Mackinac Policy Conference on Thursday.

Five candidates will be participating in the debate, including Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield, former Detroit City Council President Saunteel Jenkins, Detroit Councilman Fred Durhal III, Detroit pastor Solomon Kinloch Jr., and former Detroit Police Chief James Craig. Detroit News Editorial Page Editor Nolan Finley and BridgeDetroit founder and journalist Stephen Henderson will serve as moderators.

Watch the livestream of the event below, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Michigan U.S. Sen. Gary Peters is preparing to retire after a decades-long career in politics and public service. 

Peters has championed Michigan’s Great Lakes, leading efforts that brought nearly a billion dollars in restoration funds to the state. He’s passed legislation to protect the mental health of veterans. And he’s fought for critical infrastructure — securing funding for the Soo Locks, a lifeline for Michigan industries.

As he steps away from Washington, Peters joined The Metro during the 2025 Mackinac Policy Conference to help us to reflect on this work and what the next person elected to his seat must do as Democrats face historically low approval ratings.

Peters says he’s ready to pass the torch to the next generations of lawmakers.

“I just think it’s the right thing to do,” he said. “I do believe that we’ve gotta have new energy all the time, refresh itself, Congress has to represent the energy and the future of our country, and that means a broad cross section of people who are serving — including folks who are younger.”

–WDET’s Jenny Sherman contributed to this report.

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Enbridge’s Line 5 oil pipeline cuts beneath the Great Lakes, stretching over 600 miles and crossing beneath the Straits of Mackinac. For decades, the pipeline has raised concerns because of its potential to spill oil and contaminate water for millions of Americans. This water is also a source of sustenance, culture and sovereignty for tribal communities.   

Now, Enbridge has a proposal on the table to build a new oil tunnel to replace a section of Line 5. The Canadian oil and gas company says this will address aging infrastructure. An executive order from the Trump administration could expedite the construction of this project.

But advocates argue that the construction of this new oil tunnel and potential leaks from it pose many threats, especially to tribal fishing rights and livelihoods.

Andrea Pierce, a member of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians and the policy director at Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition, spoke with The Metro’s Robyn Vincent on the shores of Mackinac Island ahead of a rally on Thursday protesting the proposed oil tunnel. 

In a statement emailed to WDET, Enbridge spokesperson Ryan Duffy said, in part, that “Enbridge is working with state and federal agencies to study and develop plans that will minimize and mitigate impacts to the natural environment, natural resources, cultural heritage and community priorities.”

Duffy said Enbridge “will build the Great Lakes Tunnel safely, in conformity with thorough safety and environmental reviews by permitting agencies.”

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Enbridge is a financial supporter of WDET. Our newsroom observes a clear boundary between funders and editorial content, and we do not serve the agendas of those who support us.

This story has been updated with a statement from Enbridge.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal court on Wednesday blocked President Donald Trump from imposing sweeping tariffs on imports under an emergency-powers law, swiftly throwing into doubt Trump’s signature set of economic policies that have rattled global financial markets, frustrated trade partners and raised broader fears about inflation intensifying and the economy slumping.

The ruling from a three-judge panel at the New York-based U.S. Court of International Trade came after several lawsuits arguing Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs exceeded his authority and left the country’s trade policy dependent on his whims.

Trump has repeatedly said the tariffs would force manufacturers to bring back factory jobs to the U.S. and generate enough revenue to reduce federal budget deficits. He used the tariffs as a negotiating cudgel in hopes of forcing other nations to negotiate agreements that favored the U.S., suggesting he would simply set the rates himself if the terms were unsatisfactory.

White House spokesperson Kush Desai said that trade deficits amount to a national emergency “that has decimated American communities, left our workers behind, and weakened our defense industrial base — facts that the court did not dispute.”

The administration, he said, remains “committed to using every lever of executive power to address this crisis and restore American Greatness.”

But for now, Trump might not have the threat of import taxes to exact his will on the world economy as he had intended, since doing so would require congressional approval. What remains unclear is whether the White House will respond to the ruling by pausing all of its emergency power tariffs in the interim.

Trump might still be able to temporarily launch import taxes of 15% for 150 days on nations with which the U.S. runs a substantial trade deficit. The ruling notes that a president has this authority under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974.

The ruling amounted to a categorical rejection of the legal underpinnings of some of Trump’s signature and most controversial actions of his four-month-old second term. The administration swiftly filed notice of appeal — and the Supreme Court will almost certainly be called upon to lend a final answer — but it casts a sharp blow.

The case was heard by three judges: Timothy Reif, who was appointed by Trump, Jane Restani, named to the bench by President Ronald Reagan and Gary Katzmann, an appointee of President Barack Obama.

“The Worldwide and Retaliatory Tariff Orders exceed any authority granted to the President by IEEPA to regulate importation by means of tariffs,” the court wrote, referring to the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

The ruling left in place any tariffs that Trump put in place using his Section 232 powers from the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. He put a 25% tax on most imported autos and parts, as well as on all foreign-made steel and aluminum. Those tariffs depend on a Commerce Department investigation that reveals national security risks from imported products.

It was filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade, a federal court that deals specifically with civil lawsuits involving international trade law.

While tariffs must typically be approved by Congress, Trump has said he has the power to act to address the trade deficits he calls a national emergency.

He is facing at least seven lawsuits challenging the levies. The plaintiffs argued that the emergency powers law does not authorize the use of tariffs, and even if it did, the trade deficit is not an emergency because the U.S. has run a trade deficit with the rest of the world for 49 consecutive years.

Trump imposed tariffs on most of the countries in the world in an effort to reverse America’s massive and long-standing trade deficits. He earlier plastered levies on imports from Canada, China and Mexico to combat the illegal flow of immigrants and the synthetic opioids across the U.S. border.

His administration argues that courts approved then-President Richard Nixon’s emergency use of tariffs in 1971, and that only Congress, and not the courts, can determine the “political” question of whether the president’s rationale for declaring an emergency complies with the law.

Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs shook global financial markets and led many economists to downgrade the outlook for U.S. economic growth. So far, though, the tariffs appear to have had little impact on the world’s largest economy.

The lawsuit was filed by a group of small businesses, including a wine importer, V.O.S. Selections, whose owner has said the tariffs are having a major impact and his company may not survive.

A dozen states also filed suit, led by Oregon. “This ruling reaffirms that our laws matter, and that trade decisions can’t be made on the president’s whim,” Attorney General Dan Rayfield said.

Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, said the tariffs had “jacked up prices on groceries and cars, threatened shortages of essential goods and wrecked supply chains for American businesses large and small.″

Reporting by Lindsay Whitehurst and Josh Boak, Associated Press. AP writers Zeke Miller and Paul Wiseman contributed.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of the last name of Judge Gary Katzmann, from Katzman in earlier versions of the story.

The U.S. Department of Justice and the White House are looking at pardoning the two men convicted in the 2020 plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

President Donald Trump told reporters on Wednesday that the men convicted in the kidnapping plot were victims of “a railroad job.”

Whitmer shared her reaction to the news with WDET’s Russ McNamara at the Mackinac Policy Conference on Thursday, saying she’s not happy that the justice department — and the president — are even considering pardons.

“When the man took a shot at Donald Trump when he was on the campaign trail in Pennsylvania, I was one of the first office holders on either side of the aisle to condemn it,” Whitmer said. “Anything short of condemning political violence does a disservice to every American.”

Whitmer has been a frequent visitor to the White House this year, asking for federal aid for this spring’s ice storms and helping to secure a new fighter mission at the Selfridge Air National Guard Base.

She said she would be “incredibly disappointed” to see the administration take that action, and that she “certainly will be conveying that to the White House.”

The two men seeking pardons — Barry Croft Jr., 49, and Adam Fox, 42 — were convicted in 2022 of conspiracy for their roles in the alleged kidnapping plot, and are serving a 20-year and 16-year prison sentence, respectively.

On securing a semiconductor ‘fab’ in Michigan

Whitmer also spoke about her stated goal of landing a massive microchip factory for Michigan before the end of her term at the start of 2027. She shared that while federal support would be needed to get the project “over the finish line,” she remains optimistic about getting it done before she leaves office.

“With so many pressures right now in our economy around tariffs and all the chaos, diversifying our economy and landing a chip fab — a plant — it’s so important to all the things that we as Americans rely on and want to do in the future, and this is something that I think would be a huge win for Michigan.”

–WDET’s Jenny Sherman contributed to this report

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The next mayor of Detroit is not just tasked with managing the city, they also manage relationships with business and policy leaders from across the state.

Detroit’s mayor regularly attends the Mackinac Policy Conference to help build those relationships. But this election season, the candidates vying for that seat are here making their case for why they should be elected the next leader of Michigan’s largest city.

Saunteel Jenkins is one of those candidates. The former Detroit City Council president most recently served as the CEO of The Heat and Warmth Fund – otherwise known as THAW. She joined The Metro to talk about how her past experience has prepared her for the role, and what her priorities would be as the city’s next mayor. 

“I had to build coalitions with legislators in Lansing and in D.C., and work on both sides of the aisle to bring resources home for our families,” she said. “There are a lot of things that I did as the CEO over the last decade that correlates with the job of the mayor.”

WDET’s Jenny Sherman contributed to this report.

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In 2016, many liberals didn’t take Donald Trump seriously. They thought that he was wacky, ridiculous, offensive, and not a serious candidate for president. 

But during that time, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell thought differently. She was speaking with her constituents Downriver, and it was prior to President Trump’s first term that she realized he was well-liked, that he had a good chance at becoming the most powerful person in America. 

Almost a decade later, Trump has become central to the Republican Party and our politics writ large. Democrats have spent a lot of that time becoming the “anti-Trump” party. But after losing the 2024 election, many Democrats believe that position is not enough. They need to stand for something. 

So, what do Democrats stand for? What should they stand for? And what do they need to do to win back the country — specifically the low-income and marginalized people they claim to champion?

Dingell joined The Metro live from the Mackinac Policy Conference to discuss how she stays connected to her constituents.

“Every weekend I try to be at a couple farmers markets…I try to be in a union hall, I try to be in a veterans hall, I go to special events, I go to the grocery store — where real people are,” Dingell said. “And I don’t go with anybody, I go with no entourage, I don’t have any staff, I go me, and people talk to me and they tell me what’s on their minds, and a lot more Democrats need to do that.”

WDET’s Jenny Sherman contributed to this report.

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Michigan U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin spent three terms in the U.S. House before running to replace outgoing Democratic U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow. She bucked the pro-GOP trend to beat Mike Rogers last November for the seat.

WDET’s Russ McNamara caught up with the junior senator at the 2025 Mackinac Policy Conference ahead of All Things Considered – Detroit on Wednesday to talk about proposed cuts to Medicaid, supporting EV manufacturing and more.

On planned cuts to Medicaid

Michigan U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin says she is against planned cuts to Medicaid passed by House Republicans.

The legislation — part of a massive spending bill deemed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” — is on its way to the Senate next week.

Slotkin says 300,000 Michiganders are at risk of losing their primary insurance if the bill passed as is, adding that work requirements are just another way to keep people off Medicaid.

“They’re making them sign up every six months so that people forget, people get busy and they lapse, and they get off of Medicaid,” she said. “For Michigan, it would have a dramatic impact.”

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration issued a report earlier this month warning of the potential impact of Medicaid cuts by the federal government.

During the 2024 campaign, now-President Donald Trump promised many times to never make cuts to Medicaid and Medicare.

On giving consumers a choice about EVs

The U.S. Senate recently voted to remove California’s ability to set EV and emission standards, thwarting the state’s goal of phasing out gas-powered vehicles by 2035.

Slotkin was the only Democrat who voted with Republicans on pushing back against California’s EV mandate, saying she believes in giving consumers a choice.

“I made a very important pledge to voters here that I don’t support a mandate,” she said. “I want to build the next generation of EVs, but I don’t want to mandate. I don’t believe in that.”

Michigan’s other U.S. Senator, Gary Peters, voted against the measure.

Slotkin says she is upset Congressional Republicans are rolling back incentives for people to purchase EVs, but that doesn’t mean we should be creating a mandate that is “above and beyond anything like consumer demand” without the infrastructure to support it.

WDET’s Jenny Sherman contributed to this report.

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News media has changed a lot. In just the last decade, people have more access to information than they have in human history. 

That’s changed the state of journalism. And in the last eight years, some journalists and scholars say news outlets — like CNN, the New York Times and NPR member stations like WDET — are under attack. President Donald Trump has labeled the press the enemy of the people and has been attempting to discredit the things we say — making it harder to tell truths that are inconvenient to those in power. 

Devin Scillian shares these concerns. He’s best known for being an anchor at WDIV-TV. He held that position for nearly three decades, retiring last December. Before that time, he won multiple Edward R. Murrow Awards. And this month, he received a “lifetime achievement award” from the Society of Professional Journalists. 

He joined The Metro live from the Mackinac Policy Conference to discuss where the media is at now, the ways it’s been under attack, and what journalists need to do to meet viewers where they’re at.

“In the same way that voting is a responsibility for being an American, I happen to believe that being informed is a responsibility of living in a Democratic society,” Scillian said. “Information is the most precious resource in the world. You can have all the petroleum, diamonds, gold, silver, copper…if I can have information. I just think it’s the most vital resource that courses through the veins of the world.”

Scillian also touched on the importance of consuming news responsibly by maintaining a well-balanced media diet and avoiding echo chambers.

“We can live in a silo if we want to, but it’s the equivalent of sitting down and just eating caramel corn for every meal — I’m not sure it’s a great idea,” he said. “Everybody should be availing themselves of a lot of different news sources every day.”

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This week on MichMash, Democratic House Minority Leader Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton) joins the show to talk about ongoing tensions between parties within the Michigan Legislature.

Before that, host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow discuss news this week that Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson violated campaign finance laws when announcing her bid for governor inside a state-owned building.

Subscribe to MichMash on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode:

• Michigan AG finds Jocelyn Benson violated campaign finance act
• ‘Political theater’ creating gridlock in the Michigan Legislature
• Puri’s working relationship with House Speaker Matt Hall

In a determination released by the Michigan Attorney General’s Office on Monday, Dana Nessel found that Benson violated the Michigan Campaign Finance Act by holding a press conference in the lobby of a state office building to announce her bid for governor.

Benson has denied the violation, saying she had planned to make the announcement outside the building after filing her paperwork, but moved it to the lobby because it was freezing cold. 

“The law does exist for a reason,” said Gorchow. “[To] prevent government officials from using taxpayer resources for political purposes. Benson’s campaign should’ve rented a facility to hold this press conference. The cost to taxpayers was zero…but Republicans will argue that Benson conveniently ignored the law she’s supposed to enforce, when it came to her own activities.”

Speaking with Roth and Gorchow, Rep. Puri said the Michigan Legislature is “at a crossroads for what the vision of Michigan could be,” calling much of what the governing body accomplished this year unproductive and “political theater.”

“For things to get done there needs to be true bipartisanship,” he said. “Until that changes we will continue to see the gridlock we’ve been seeing.”

Roth noted the strained relationship between Puri and Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township). Puri said he attempted to have a handful of conversations with Hall early on to encourage healthy bipartisanship, but it hasn’t led to meaningful dialogue.

“I’m not a reporter, I’m not President Trump, I don’t think [Hall] has much interest in talking to me,” Puri said. “But jokes aside, you know I think, again, Speaker Hall is engaged in being an actor of political theater. I am taking a much more pragmatic approach here; I understand that we are in split government.”

Puri said with billions of dollars in federal cuts looming over the state, it’s more important than ever for state legislators to work together to find bipartisan solutions.

“There’s a whole host of things that we should be doing to protect Michiganders, from the tariffs, the economic uncertainty…there’s a lot of problems headed Michigan’s way, but here we are continuing to talk and fill the room with distractions and just an unserious approach,” he said.

–WDET Digital Editor Jenny Sherman contributed to this report.

More from WDET:

• MichMash: Michigan House comes to dramatic close, adjourning early
• GOP oversight chair wants Benson to testify on disclosure site glitches
• House GOP, Dems at odds in chaotic budget fight

The Republican-led state House adopted a resolution Thursday to hold Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in contempt for failing to fully comply with a legislative subpoena.

This political battle has been raging for months as GOP lawmakers accuse Benson of obstructing their efforts to examine election processes while she says Republicans’ actions are undermining election integrity.

“So at this moment, I believe there is no other path than introducing a resolution to allow this chamber to consider whether the Secretary of State should be held in contempt,” said Rep. Jay DeBoyer (R-Clay Twp.), who chairs the House Oversight Committee. “And I am certain that we are within the law. I am certain that we are within provisions that the people of the state of Michigan deserve and want out of their government.”

The resolution cleared the House on a 58-47 party-line vote with five Democrats absent.

Rep. Penelope Tserneglou (D-East Lansing), who sits on the oversight committee, accused Republicans of needlessly stoking a controversy. She called the resolution “an attack on election integrity.”

“The only documents that have not been produced are the ones being reviewed for sensitive information that could compromise the integrity and security of our elections,” she said. “We must stand united in defense of our democratic institutions and reject this dangerous resolution.”

Benson said her office has already released more than 3,300 pages of material to the committee and to the public. But she said her office will not release unvetted and unredacted material that would imperil election security if made public.

“This is government rooted in bullying and chaos and I’m tired of it,” she said during an online press conference following the vote. “It’s not only ineffective but it is dangerous.”

It is not clear what the next steps will be. Benson says she would like to have a judge or some other impartial mediator step in to help resolve the impasse.

Michigan bills to further prevent the use of ticket-buying bots received a House committee hearing Wednesday.

Ticket bots are often used to snatch up event tickets by getting around purchase limits, waiting periods, or other safeguards.

In high profile cases, like Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, they led to exorbitant prices on the resale market.

State Representative Mike McFall (D-Hazel Park) is a package co-sponsor. He says bots are a problem the state needs to address.

“This harms the entertainment industry and harms consumers by creating an unnecessary financial barrier. Our bills would provide the attorney general with the necessary tools to investigate and act against those who are misusing bots to excessively purchase tickets,” McFall said during the House Judiciary Committee hearing.

The federal government has already outlawed using ticket bots to scam the system. But supporters of the Michigan bills say they’re necessary to ensure scammers quickly face consequences.

“The problem is, sometimes at that federal level there’s so many things going on, it’s hard to rein this in, which is why we kind of want to deal with it here in the state of Michigan, so the AG’s office has a little more teeth than we can act within our state,” said Rep. Mike Harris (R-Waterford), another package co-sponsor.

Under the bills, using bots to abuse the ticket-buying process could lead to a $5,000 fine per ticket gained.

Similar bills were introduced last legislative term but didn’t make it to the governor. 

Eli Savit is trying to reshape how justice works in Michigan — starting with what happens inside a prosecutor’s office.

As Washtenaw County’s top prosecutor, he ended cash bail for most cases, declined to charge some low-level drug offenses, and launched a transparency effort to track racial disparities in prosecution.

Supporters of progressive prosecutors like Savit say they’re helping to fix a broken system, while critics say they’re putting public safety at risk.

Now, we’ll see what kind of appetite Michigan has for this approach as Savit announced last week that he’s running to be Michigan’s next Attorney General. Other candidates so far include former federal prosecutor Mark Totten, seeking the Democratic nomination, and Republican attorney Kevin Kijewski. Dana Nessel, Michigan’s current attorney general, is term-limited and can’t run for reelection.

Savit joined The Metro on Wednesday to talk about what kind of justice he believes Michigan needs next.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump used a White House meeting to forcefully confront South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, accusing the country of failing to address Trump’s baseless claim of the systematic killing of white farmers.

Trump even dimmed the lights of the Oval Office to play a video of a far-left politician chanting a song that includes the lyrics “kill the farmer.” He also leafed through news articles to underscore his point, saying the country’s white farmers have faced “death, death, death, horrible death.”

Trump had already cut all U.S. assistance to South Africa and welcomed several dozen white South African farmers to the U.S. as refugees as he pressed the case that a “genocide” is underway in the country.

The U.S. president, since his return to office, has launched a series of accusations at South Africa’s Black-led government, claiming it is seizing land from white farmers, enforcing antiwhite policies and pursuing an anti-American foreign policy.

Experts in South Africa say there is no evidence of whites being targeted for their race, although farmers of all races are victims of violent home invasions in a country with a high crime rate.

“People are fleeing South Africa for their own safety,” Trump said. “Their land is being confiscated and in many cases they’re being killed.”

Ramaphosa pushed back against Trump’s accusation. The South African leader had sought to use the meeting to set the record straight and salvage his country’s relationship with the United States. The bilateral relationship is at its lowest point since South Africa enforced its apartheid system of racial segregation, which ended in 1994.

“We are completely opposed to that,” Ramaphosa said of the behavior alleged by Trump in their exchange. He added, “that is not government policy” and “our government policy is completely, completely against what he was saying.”

Trump was unmoved.

“When they take the land, they kill the white farmer,” he said.

Trump appeared prepared to confront Ramaphosa at the start of the meeting while journalists were present. Videos were cued up on a large TV set to show a clip of an opposition party leader, Julius Malema, leading an old anti-apartheid song.

The song has been contentious for years in the country because of its central lyrics “kill the Boer” and “shoot the Boer” — with Boer a word that refers to a white farmer. Malema, featured in the video, is not part of the country’s governing coalition.

Another clip played showed white crosses on the side of a road, described as a memorial for white farmers who were killed. Ramaphosa seemed baffled. “I’d like to know where that is, because this I’ve never seen.”

Trump kicked off the meeting by describing the South African president as a “truly respected man in many, many circles.” He added: “And in some circles he’s considered a little controversial.”

Ramaphosa chimed in, playfully jabbing back at a U.S. president who is no stranger to controversy. “We’re all like that,” Ramaphosa said.

Trump issued an executive order in February cutting all funding to South Africa over some of its domestic and foreign policies. The order criticized the South African government on multiple fronts, saying it is pursuing antiwhite policies at home and supporting “bad actors” in the world like the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Iran.

Trump has falsely accused the South African government of rights violations against white Afrikaner farmers by seizing their land through a new expropriation law. No land has been seized and the South African government has pushed back, saying U.S. criticism is driven by misinformation.

The Trump administration’s references to the Afrikaner people — who are descendants of Dutch and other European settlers — have also elevated previous claims made by Trump’s South African-born adviser Elon Musk and some conservative U.S. commentators that the South African government is allowing attacks on white farmers in what amounts to a genocide.

The administration’s concerns about South African policies cut even deeper than the concerns about white farmers.

South Africa has also angered Trump over its move to bring charges at the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Ramaphosa has also faced scrutiny in Washington for his past connections to MTN Group, Iran’s second-largest telecom provider. It owns nearly half of Irancell, a joint venture linked with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Ramaphosa served as board chair of MTN from 2002 to 2013.

Ramaphosa came into the meeting looking to avoid the sort of contentious engagement that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy experienced during his February Oval Office visit, when the Ukrainian leader found himself being berated by Trump and Vice President JD Vance. That disastrous meeting ended with White House officials asking Zelenskyy and his delegation to leave the White House grounds.

The South African president’s delegation included golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, a gesture to the golf-obsessed U.S. president. Ramaphosa brought Trump a massive book about South Africa’s golf courses. He even told Trump that he’s been working on his golf game, seeming to angle for an invitation to the links with the president.

Luxury goods tycoon and Afrikaner Johann Rupert was also in the delegation to help ease Trump’s concerns that land was being seized from white farmers.

At one point, Ramaphosa called on Zingiswa Losi, the president of a group of South African trade unions, who told Trump it is true that South Africa is a “violent nation for a number of reasons.” But she told him it was important to understand that Black men and women in rural areas were also being targeted in heinous crimes.

“The problem in South Africa, it is not necessarily about race, but it’s about crime,” Losi said. “We are here to say how do we, both nations, work together to reset, to really talk about investment but also help … to really address the levels of crime we have in our country.”

Musk also attended Wednesday’s talks. He has been at the forefront of the criticism of his homeland, casting its affirmative action laws as racist against whites.

Musk has said on social media that his Starlink satellite internet service isn’t able to get a license to operate in South Africa because he is not Black.

South African authorities say Starlink hasn’t formally applied. It can, but it would be bound by affirmative action laws in the communications sector that require foreign companies to allow 30% of their South African subsidiaries to be owned by shareholders who are Black or from other racial groups disadvantaged under apartheid.

The South African government says its long-standing affirmative action laws are a cornerstone of its efforts to right the injustices of the white minority rule of apartheid, which denied opportunities to Blacks and other racial groups.

Following the contentious exchange in front of the cameras, Trump hosted Ramaphosa for lunch and further talks.

Ramaphosa, speaking to reporters following his White House visit, downplayed Trump’s criticism, adding he believes “there’s doubt and disbelief in (Trump’s) head” about his genocide charge. He insisted they did not dwell on Trump’s concerns about white farmers in their private conversation.

“You wanted to see drama and something really big happening,” Ramaphosa told reporters following his White House visit. “And I’m sorry that we disappointed you somewhat when it comes to that.”

–Reporting by Gerald Imray and Aamer Madhani, Associated Press. AP writers Seung Min Kim, Chris Megerian, Darlene Superville, Sagar Meghani and Ali Swenson contributed.

A new survey by the University of Michigan finds confidence in the U.S. economy is steadily eroding.

Researchers say the widely-watched Consumer Sentiment Index has shown a sharp decline throughout this year.

The director of the survey, Joanne Hsu, told WDET those responding have a somber view of the nation’s financial future.

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Joanne Hsu: One of the huge factors that we’re hearing from consumers is that they’re worried about the impact of trade policy on the economy. This month we had over 2/3 of consumers telling us spontaneously about the impact of tariffs. And largely speaking, these concerns are not positive. People who mentioned tariffs are really worried about inflation coming back. They’re worried that unemployment is going to get worse. It’s not just about tariffs being high. After all, we did capture a few days of interviews after the pause on China tariffs. They’re really worried about uncertainty, unpredictability and instability with policy. They know it makes it really hard for businesses to plan and for consumers to plan as well.

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: I understand that this is the lowest that you have seen the Consumer Index be in three years?

JH: That is correct. We are near historic lows. Consumers are really feeling quite negative about the economy across multiple dimensions, their personal finances, buying conditions for big-ticket items, business conditions and labor markets. It’s very loud and clear across demographics and across aspects of the economy.

QK: If it’s been going down for a number of years then that would include the previous occupants of the White House. Have you noticed a difference among consumers since the Trump administration took over from the Biden administration?

JH: The sentiment did rise right after the election. There was a temporary post-election bump. But in December, as Trump started talking more about his planned tariff policy, that’s really when sentiment started to take a turn for the worse. And when we look at the impact from the major policy announcements that happened, tariffs on our North American neighbors, reciprocal global tariffs, after each of these consumer sentiment worsened. Again, the major reason for this is people are concerned that inflation is going to come roaring back. And inflation has been the number one thing on people’s minds for several years now. In 2022, when we hit the all-time historic low, inflation was raging. Consumers have been telling us loud and clear since then that they’re really worried about the cost of living.

QK: Is there any positives you can take from what you’re seeing in the index?

 JH: I’d say the positive thing is that it hasn’t gotten that much worse from last month. We had three consecutive months of very, very steep decline. So the fact that it didn’t tank further this month, I think, should be welcome news. The other thing is that consumers are bracing for the impact of tariffs, but they don’t actually believe that inflation has already gotten out of control. They recognize that inflation slowed over the last couple of years. Of course, they remain frustrated by high prices.

We had historically low sentiment in 2022 but consumers were still willing to spend despite that lack of confidence. One of the big differences between then and now are consumer views of labor markets and their incomes. After the pandemic labor markets were very, very strong. Consumers’ incomes were very reliable. So in spite of the fact that they felt terrible about the economy they were willing to spend because they had the income to support it. Today, it’s different. Consumers are starting to tell us that their incomes are getting weaker. The expected probability of job loss has gone up. We have 2/3 of consumers expecting unemployment to worsen in the year ahead. That labor market confidence we saw three years ago just isn’t here anymore, which does not bode well for consumer spending going forward.

Editor’s note: This interview was re-aired on The Metro on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. Listen to the Metro segment below.

More stories from The Metro

The Republican chair of the Michigan House Oversight Committee said Tuesday that he wants Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to personally explain why an expensive new system to collect elected officials’ financial disclosure statements doesn’t work.

Representatives of the Secretary of State’s office and contractors who built the system were grilled Tuesday for roughly an hour and a half by members of two House committees. They were called to testify on a malfunctioning financial disclosure system for elected officials and lobbyists that is part of implementing a voter-approved amendment to the Michigan Constitution.

The back and forth was tense at times as representatives of the secretary of state and the technology company that created the system defended their process and promised improvements by the next filing deadline in July.

Tina Anderson, Benson’s chief of staff, apologized for the crashes and glitches that stopped elected officials from making timely filings and thwarted people from searching filings.

“We know that many system users, including members of these committees, have had less-than-satisfactory interactions with this system,” she said. “On behalf of Secretary Benson, I am here to apologize for these difficult experiences. We take this very seriously.”

She acknowledged the transition to a new system has been rough going, but said it would have been impossible to keep two parallel systems operating simultaneously.

At the end of the session, House Oversight Committee Chair Jay DeBoyer (R-Clay Twp.) said he still was not satisfied with the answers.

“What’s been demonstrated in testimony here today is that there was risk, they were aware of risk,” he said. “I tried to get an answer out of who made these decisions and the answer was team, team, team, team, team. But, at the end of the day, the buck stops at the secretary of state.”

DeBoyer said he plans to send a letter asking Benson to personally appear before the committee next month. A Benson spokesperson said they will be on the lookout for the communication.

“We’ll review the letter when we receive it and make a decision then,” said Secretary of State Communications Officer Angela Benander in a text message. 

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson violated the Michigan Campaign Finance Act by using the lobby of a state office building for a press conference to announce she is running for governor. 

That determination was released Monday by the Michigan Attorney General’s office.

This is obviously an embarrassing misstep for the Benson campaign since the Secretary of State is responsible for administering and enforcing campaign finance rules.

The Benson campaign vigorously argued a campaign finance complaint filed by Republican activists was without merit. A provision of the Michigan Campaign Finance Act prohibits elected officials from using public resources for electioneering.

Benson, who is seeking the Democratic nomination, said she moved a media availability from outside the office building to the lobby after filing her paperwork because it was freezing cold. Benson’s campaign also argued she was not acting in her official capacity and was on her personal time as a candidate.

The Benson campaign called the lobby “a public space where First Amendment activity can occur as long as it doesn’t interfere with the operation of the building.”

But the letter signed by Assistant Attorney General Joshua Booth said that is not the case.

“Secretary Benson invited members of the press inside the (Richard A.) Austin Building and then conducted a press conference, professionally dressed, during the day, in the lobby of the building that houses her office,” Booth wrote. “She gave no indication that would lead a reasonable person viewing the press conference to believe that she was there on her ‘personal time.’ Instead, the circumstances would lead a reasonable person to believe that Secretary Benson was acting as Secretary of State with the authority of the Department of State … to invite members of the press inside her office building and use the lobby for the press conference.”

But Booth also said there is no mechanism to fine or otherwise punish the Benson campaign for the infraction because of a loophole in the law. He said the law excludes the Secretary of State while naming other offices covered by the Michigan Campaign Finance Act.

“Consequently, the Attorney General is left with no choice but to simply identify the violation, remind the Secretary of State of her obligations under the MCFA, and warn her against violating them in the future,” he said. He added the Legislature may want to consider closing the loophole that allows for “unequal treatment.”

Benson’s campaign spokesperson called the determination “a new interpretation” of the act which is administered and largely enforced by the Secretary of State.

“We understand the Attorney General is issuing a new interpretation of the law, and we appreciate the added clarity,” said Alyssa Bradley in a text message.

Republicans quickly made hay over the misstep.

“Jocelyn Benson betrayed the trust of taxpayers of Michigan on the day she kicked off her campaign,” said Republican Governors Association Rapid Response Director Kollin Crompton in an email blast, saying “she violated the very campaign finance laws she is supposed to oversee.”

To date, the other announced Democratic gubernatorial candidates are Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist and Genessee County Sheriff Chris Swanson. The announced Republican candidates are former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox, Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt and U.S. Rep. John James and Anthony Hudson. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is running as an independent. 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his office said Sunday.

The finding came after the 82-year-old reported urinary symptoms, which led doctors to discover a nodule on his prostate. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer on Friday, with the cancer cells having spread to the bone.

“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management,” his office said. “The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”

In a post on X on Monday morning, Biden posted a photo of himself and his wife, Jill Biden, and wrote: “Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places. Thank you for lifting us up with love and support.”

Prostate cancers are graded for aggressiveness using what’s known as a Gleason score. The scores range from 6 to 10, with 8, 9 and 10 prostate cancers behaving more aggressively. Biden’s office said his score was 9, suggesting his cancer is among the most aggressive.

When prostate cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it often spreads to the bones. Metastasized cancer is much harder to treat than localized cancer because it can be hard for drugs to reach all the tumors and completely root out the disease.

However, when prostate cancers need hormones to grow, as in Biden’s case, they can be susceptible to treatment that deprives the tumors of hormones.

Outcomes have improved in recent decades and patients can expect to live with metastatic prostate cancer for four or five years, said Dr. Matthew Smith of Massachusetts General Brigham Cancer Center.

“It’s very treatable, but not curable,” Smith said. “Most men in this situation would be treated with drugs and would not be advised to have either surgery or radiation therapy.”

Many political leaders sent Biden their wishes for his recovery.

President Donald Trump, a longtime political opponent, posted on social media that he was saddened by the news and “we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”

Biden’s vice president, Kamala Harris, said on social media that she was keeping him in her family’s “hearts and prayers during this time.”

“Joe is a fighter — and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership,” Harris wrote.

Former President Barack Obama said his thoughts and prayers were with Biden, his former vice president, lauding his toughness. “Nobody has done more to find breakthrough treatments for cancer in all its forms than Joe, and I am certain he will fight this challenge with his trademark resolve and grace,” Obama wrote on social media.

The health of Biden was a dominant concern among voters during his time as president. After a calamitous debate performance in June while seeking reelection, Biden abandoned his bid for a second term. Harris became the nominee and lost to Trump, a Republican who returned to the White House after a four-year hiatus.

But in recent days, Biden rejected concerns about his age despite reporting in the new book “Original Sin” by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson that aides had shielded the public from the extent of his decline while serving as president.

In February 2023, Biden had a skin lesion removed from his chest that was a basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer. And in November 2021, he had a polyp removed from his colon that was a benign, but potentially pre-cancerous lesion.

In 2022, Biden made a “cancer moonshot” one of his administration’s priorities with the goal of halving the cancer death rate over the next 25 years. The initiative was a continuation of his work as vice president to address a disease that had killed his older son, Beau, who died from brain cancer in 2015.

His father, when announcing the goal to halve the cancer death rate, said this could be an “American moment to prove to ourselves and, quite frankly, the world that we can do really big things.”

–Reporting by Josh Boak, Associated Press. Associated Press writer Jon Fahey in New York contributed.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said Thursday she does not expect to file any more charges after alleging a former top House staffer siphoned off money for his own use from funds earmarked for a $25 million health facility project in Clare.

The charges allege David Coker, who was an aide to then-House Speaker Jason Wentworth, spent $820,000 that was supposed to be used for the project to, instead, buy coins, gold bars and firearm accessories, among other things. At a press conference to announce the charges, Nessel said a dearth of relevant experience by a grant seeker should be a warning signal.  

“They have no track record,” she said. “They can’t show that they’ve done anything in terms of major projects that have been successful of this kind or really even any kind at all. So, that’s a major red flag.”

The earmark was slipped into the 2023 state budget anonymously, which was allowed at the time. Since then, the Legislature adopted rules that require every earmark to have a sponsor, and the House requires those sponsors’ names to be made public before budget votes.

Nessel said ending anonymous earmarks is a step in the right direction.

“I’m very encouraged by these actions to bring more sunshine into the appropriations process and support any further guardrails the Legislature sees fit to prevent fraudsters from stealing our hard-working tax dollars,” she said.

Coker was charged Wednesday with seven felonies alleging he misused public funds. Nessel alleges the fraud was committed using faked invoices from his for-profit consulting firm.

Coker’s not-for-profit organization, Complete Health Park, was paid $9.9 million from the grant before the funding was halted. Nessel said her office is looking into how it might recoup the expended funds.

The not-for-profit paid $3.5 million for the property, which was purchased from state Representative Tom Kunse (R-Clare). Nessel said Kunse is not suspected of wrongdoing.

Coker’s attorney said his client was cooperating with the inquiry, and the charges came out of the blue. Joshua Blanchard told Michigan Public Radio his client was trying to bring a major project to build a health services campus to Clare.

 “He disclosed everything to the state, been aboveboard about every bit of it all along and, for whatever reason, Dana’s office decided they wanted a press conference and so they issued charges,” said Blanchard.

The next step will be for the state to outline the charges and the evidence to a judge  at a preliminary hearing scheduled for May 23.

Nessel’s office is also looking into two other cases of possible earmark fraud, including spending by a not-for-profit formed by businesswoman and major Democratic Party donor Fay Beydoun on a $4,500 coffeemaker and first-class plane tickets and a $2 million grant to fund a study on bringing low-orbit rocket launch sites to Michigan.