Businesses fund Whitmer's overseas trips while getting billions in incentives

Lansing — Some of Michigan's largest businesses have quietly helped finance Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's foreign trade missions while reaping billions of dollars in incentives and other financial benefits from her administration.

Whitmer, who took office in 2019, and past Michigan governors have used a nonprofit organization called the Michigan Economic Development Foundation to gather money from companies to pay for costs tied to official overseas trips.