Gov. Whitmer hopes for "some relaxing" of restrictions by May 1

LANSING, Mich. - Gov. Whitmer made an appearance on Good Morning America Friday morning, where she spoke with anchor George Stephanopoulos about Michigan's effort to slow COVID-19.

During her interview, she said she envisioned loosening some of the state's restrictions by the end of the month.

"I do hope to have some relaxing come May 1, but it's two weeks away and the information and the data and our ability to test is changing so rapidly, it'shard to tell you precisely where we'll bein a week from now, much less two," she said.

Following Whitmer's extended executive order that placed further restrictions on where people can go and how businesses can operate, pressure from residents and Republican legislators from the state and federal level began to ramp up as more felt the governor had overstepped her boundaries.

That frustration boiled over Wednesday when an estimated 3,000 protesters jammed up Lansing, and a few hundred congregated on the capitol lawn. 

Whitmer responded in a news conference later that day arguing individuals that got out of the car were why the order was in place, later warning she may need to further extend the state's restrictions.

Michigan's governor has found herself in the spotlight more and more over the past few weeks, trading barbs with President Donald Trump, contending with GOP lawmakers over when her order should be extended and even making presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden's shortlist for vice president.

Whitmer's stay-at-home order will end at the end of April - the same time her executive powers run out. It's unclear what will happen beyond that time.