Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel asserted on Friday that President Donald Trump’s persistent attacks against her and other female leaders of Michigan at least partially stem from misogyny.
During an interview with NPR “All Things Considered” co-host Mary Louise Kelly, Nessel noted how Trump has aggressively aimed his fire specifically at Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, and herself in his war against states’ protective measures amid COVID-19.
“Michigan is the only state in the union where women hold our three executive offices, and we are also the only state where the President has individually targeted each one of us,” the attorney general told Kelly. “So you do the math.”
“You’re accusing of having a particular issue with women?” the NPR co-host asked.
“Well, it certainly seems that way,” Nessel replied.
“I guess if any one of us were doing Secretary [of State Mike] Pompeo’s dishes, he might be fine with us,” she added. “But since we’re not and we’re actually running the state of Michigan, he seems to have a real issue.”
Nessel’s accusation came after Trump attacked her for slamming his refusal to comply with Michigan’s mask requirement during his tour of a Ford plant near Detroit last week.
“Do nothing A.G. of the Great State of Michigan, Dana Nessel, should not be taking her anger and stupidity out on Ford Motor–they might get upset with you and leave the state, like so many other companies have–until I came along and brought business back to Michigan,” he tweeted.
Trump has also feuded with Whitmer, whom he derided as a “young, woman governor” and “the woman in Michigan,” and accused her of being unable to respond to the medical supply shortage.
“She doesn’t get it done, and we send her a lot,” Trump complained in March.
And then the President went after Benson last week on Twitter after she sent applications for mail-in ballots to registered Michigan voters.
“This was done illegally and without authorization by a rogue Secretary of State,” Trump falsely claimed (the secretary of state has the full authority to send the applications).
