Her video became viral.
Democratic Governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer, sparked controversy after a video surfaced on social media showing her feeding a Dorito to feminist podcaster Liz Plank in a manner reminiscent of the Eucharist. This clip, shared on Plank’s Instagram account, features Whitmer wearing a “Harris-Walz” hat while feeding the chip to a kneeling Plank, gazing into the camera. During the same interaction, they joked about Whitmer’s daughters receiving a “post-birth abortion,” to which Whitmer laughed, asserting that “there’s no such thing.”
The video quickly gained traction on X (formerly Twitter), leading to backlash from many Roman Catholics and Christians who perceived it as a mockery of a sacred sacrament, with accusations of anti-Catholic sentiment within the Democratic Party. The nonprofit group CatholicVote criticized the clip, stating that it exemplified “gross anti-Catholic bigotry festering inside the Democratic Party.” Actress Patricia Heaton expressed her disbelief, questioning whether the mockery was aimed at what it seemed to be.
Libby Emmons, editor-in-chief of Post Millennial, characterized Whitmer as a “Satanic priestess of abortion” who appears to trivialize the sacrament. Meanwhile, Trump adviser Tim Murtaugh remarked on the bizarre nature of the video, stating, “Gov. Whitmer…is pretending to give communion to a leftist podcaster on her knees.” Daily Caller editor-in-chief Geoffrey Ingersoll commented on the video’s distasteful religious connotations and its portrayal of establishment elites.
Although many viewers deemed the video “weird,” a source close to Whitmer clarified that it was not meant to offend Catholics but was rather inspired by a viral TikTok trend of feeding each other. While Whitmer’s office did not respond to requests for comments, one political aide highlighted that the governor’s social media often blends pop culture with her messaging. They noted that the video was intended to promote President Biden’s CHIPS Act and emphasized that it was part of a broader strategy to showcase Democratic investments in local economies and job creation, countering Republican narratives that criticize these efforts.