Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan dodged a question about President Donald Trump's threat of executing political opponents, including Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin, during an appearance on WXYZ's Spotlight on the News over the weekend. The exchange was characteristic of Duggan's approach to discussing controversial issues, as he often declines to take a stance or comment on sensitive topics.
During the interview, Stokes asked Duggan about Trump's claims that Democratic lawmakers could be "punishable by DEATH" for their actions, but the mayor refused to answer. Instead, Duggan stated that he had "stayed out of these national debates" and emphasized his focus on Detroit issues. When pressed further, Duggan reiterated that he wouldn't get involved in the national debate.
Duggan's response was seen as a departure from his past criticism of Trump and his policies. In 2016, Duggan mocked Trump's many bankruptcies and described him as "the most phony party nominee" he'd ever seen. He also condemned Trump's false claims about voter fraud in Detroit during the 2020 presidential election.
However, in his current campaign for governor, Duggan has taken a more nuanced approach to addressing Trump's rhetoric. While he continues to emphasize his ability to bring Democrats and Republicans together, his refusal to condemn Trump's threats against lawmakers raises questions about where Duggan truly stands on this issue.
Duggan's team has touted his support from both Democratic and Republican donors, including Trump megadonors like Roger Penske and J.C. Huizenga. However, the mayor's silence on Trump's threat to execute opponents has sparked concerns among some voters who are searching for a clearer stance from their potential governor.
In ordinary times, dodging a question on live TV might not be seen as a major issue. But given the context of Trump's rhetoric and the alarming increase in threats against lawmakers, Duggan's response was perceived as a missed opportunity to address a critical concern. As voters consider his candidacy for governor, they will likely wonder whether Duggan is willing to tolerate or condemn Trump's extreme behavior, which could impact their assessment of his ability to lead the state effectively.
During the interview, Stokes asked Duggan about Trump's claims that Democratic lawmakers could be "punishable by DEATH" for their actions, but the mayor refused to answer. Instead, Duggan stated that he had "stayed out of these national debates" and emphasized his focus on Detroit issues. When pressed further, Duggan reiterated that he wouldn't get involved in the national debate.
Duggan's response was seen as a departure from his past criticism of Trump and his policies. In 2016, Duggan mocked Trump's many bankruptcies and described him as "the most phony party nominee" he'd ever seen. He also condemned Trump's false claims about voter fraud in Detroit during the 2020 presidential election.
However, in his current campaign for governor, Duggan has taken a more nuanced approach to addressing Trump's rhetoric. While he continues to emphasize his ability to bring Democrats and Republicans together, his refusal to condemn Trump's threats against lawmakers raises questions about where Duggan truly stands on this issue.
Duggan's team has touted his support from both Democratic and Republican donors, including Trump megadonors like Roger Penske and J.C. Huizenga. However, the mayor's silence on Trump's threat to execute opponents has sparked concerns among some voters who are searching for a clearer stance from their potential governor.
In ordinary times, dodging a question on live TV might not be seen as a major issue. But given the context of Trump's rhetoric and the alarming increase in threats against lawmakers, Duggan's response was perceived as a missed opportunity to address a critical concern. As voters consider his candidacy for governor, they will likely wonder whether Duggan is willing to tolerate or condemn Trump's extreme behavior, which could impact their assessment of his ability to lead the state effectively.
come on, folks! can't we just move on from trump already? his whole "threat of execution" thing is straight outta a bad action movie 
. like, what's next? is detroit gonna be a dystopian city where mayors gotta wear tin foil hats to keep us safe? 
and duggan's stance on this? meh, it's just politics as usual 
. the guy's always dodging tough questions, but at least he's consistent right? 
I mean, I get that Mike Duggan wants to stay out of national debates, but come on, it's not like he can just ignore Trump's threats! 
What if Elissa Slotkin really was in danger? We need someone who'll stand up for what's right and protect our citizens. 
I'm all about unity and bringing people together, but we also gotta be clear about where we stand on issues like this. 
Can't we just have a governor who'll speak truth to power and fight for what's right? 
I mean, Trump is threatening people's lives for real 
and Duggan just kinda dodges the question? It's like he's not even willing to take a stance on it, which is weird given how much heat he took from Trump back in 2016 
. Now he's trying to appeal to both sides but I'm just like "dude, be brave and call out Trump for what he is" 
. In my opinion, it's kinda weak because Trump is making some super extreme threats and politicians need to be willing to speak up against that 
, but in the end, as governor, he'll have to deal with these national issues too 
. I think he needs to clarify his position on this ASAP or it might hurt his chances of getting elected 
. What do you guys think? Should he come out strong against Trump's rhetoric or play it safe? 
. If Duggan wants to be a leader for Michigan, he needs to find that balance between staying focused on local issues and taking a stand on what's truly important 
. The question is, can he do it without getting lost in the noise?
. I mean, we need someone who can speak out against threats like that and show us they're not going to be bullied into silence 
. Still, his team is trying to spin this as him being all about bringing people together 
. Do you guys think Duggan should be more clear about where he stands on this?
. I've seen Duggan's past comments on Trump, and he was always pretty sharp-tongued 
. I think this says more about his character as a candidate than any of us want to admit 
. I get it, as a politician, you don't wanna take sides, but when it comes to something as serious as death threats against lawmakers, can't he just say something? 
It's like, what's next? Are we gonna wait until someone gets hurt before he speaks up? 
As a voter, I want my governor to be strong and clear on issues that matter, especially when it comes to protecting our democracy 
. Can we get some clarity from him on this? 
. It's like he's trying to appeal to both sides 
, which is cool and all 
, but it also makes people wonder where he stands on this whole thing 
. Maybe Duggan can clarify his stance later 
? We'll just have to wait and see 
... 
Trump's threats against politicians are getting super serious and we need our leaders to be all in on condemning that kinda stuff. Duggan dodging the question is major, IMO 
. Duggan's response is like, super out of touch with what the people want right now. He used to call Trump out, but now he's just...meh 
.
. If Trump's threatening to execute people over their politics, we need someone who's gonna call him out on it, not just skate around the issue 
. And what's with the donors? Are you trying to curry favor with the GOP or something? 
I'm not sure if Duggan is still the guy for me...
He needs to draw a line here. I'm all for bringing people together, but not at the expense of standing up for what's right. And by the way, his past comments on Trump were fire 
! Why the change of heart now? 
Still, as our governor, we need someone who can take a stand and speak truth to power. If Duggan can't do that, then maybe we shouldn't be voting for him 
. It's worrying, especially in a state like Michigan where politicians are already under attack 