Whitmer spent $209,604 on Germany, Italy trips

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer spent $209,604 on nine days of travel to Germany and Italy in February, according to documents obtained through a records request.

Whitmer stayed in Germany Feb. 11 to 15, then spent Feb. 15-20 in Italy, where she attended the Winter Olympics.

Michigan Capitol Confidential obtained the documents from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation through a records request. On average, Whitmer’s entourage spent more than $23,000 every day.

The Detroit News first reported the trip’s cost but didn’t release documents.

Whitmer spent $113,317 on her Germany trip. She brought 11 people. Five were from the Michigan State Police. The others were Paul D. Rogers, the adjutant general of the Michigan National Guard; JoAnne Huls, Whitmer’s chief of staff; Zack Pohl, the deputy chief of staff; John Gutierrez, the director of Michigan’s Office of Defense and Aerospace Innovation; and Vltako Tomic-Bobas, investment director of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

Here’s a breakdown of the expenses by category:

• Transportation: $49,710.57

• Airfare: $36,710.57

• Hotels: $20,052.46

• Airport fees and services $3,838.17

• Meals: $3,500.06.

Travelers stayed at Le Meridien Hotel in Munich. They ate at Irmi Restaurant. Whitmer spoke on a panel titled “Breaking (with) the past - Seismic Shifts in U.S. Foreign Policy.”

The trips aimed to attract foreign investment to Michigan, Danielle Emerson, MEDC public relations manager, told CapCon in an email. 

“The value of the investment missions to Germany and Italy were highlighted in the press releases sent out: The opening one, which highlights an investment by RENK, the value of Germany as Michigan’s 4^th largest international investor, and touting Michigan’s defense industry and capabilities with influential leaders at the Munich Security Conference; the second one, which discusses relationship-building with existing companies like ItalDesign, as well as attracting businesses; and the concluding release, which highlights all the companies visited, as well as strategic partners like Fincantieri, which partners with the University of Michigan’s Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering program – the only of its kind in the nation. And, as you know, investment trips are not funded with taxpayer dollars.”

Whitmer Germany Trip McClallen Responsive Docs 3.30.26 by mcclallen

Whitmer spent $96,287.56 on her trip to Italy:

• Transportation: $44,850.72:

• Hotels: $36,111.92

• Airfare: $6,330.92

• Meals: $4,334.38

• Airport fees and services: $3,887.04

• Event catering: $1,763

Whitmer Italy Trip McClallen Responsive Docs 3.30.26 by mcclallen

Whitmer posted a video while attending the Olympics. CapCon asked the MEDC who paid for the tickets but the agency claimed that this information fell under an exemption for “information of a personal nature that would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of an individual’s privacy.”

Congratulations to the US women's hockey team!

Michigan is so proud of Kirsten Simms & Megan Keller, who scored the game winning goal in overtime to secure GOLD for @TeamUSA 🇺🇸 https://t.co/YFhQfqxFdv pic.twitter.com/eWBm5urh8t

— Governor Gretchen Whitmer (@GovWhitmer) February 19, 2026

Whitmer spent more than $1 million on international travel last year. She is term-limited and is widely expected to run for president in 2028.