First came their much-analyzed Oval Office moment. Next, their subject-to-interpretation hug.

The two interactions between President Donald Trump and a sometime antagonist, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, reflect the Democratic governor’s efforts to move past last year’s hard-fought campaign and find common ground with the Republican president — at risk of political backlash.

Whitmer, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, shared a hug with Trump as he arrived in her home state on Tuesday, less than a month after she shielded her face from cameras during an Oval Office appearance alongside Trump.