(ECNS) — The National Governors Association (NGA) has canceled a scheduled meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House after the administration reportedly limited invitations to Republican governors, breaking with the bipartisan tradition of the annual gathering.
Kevin Stitt, governor of Oklahoma and chair of the NGA, said in a letter to fellow governors dated Feb. 9 that the White House planned to limit invitations for a Feb. 20 annual business session to Republican governors.
"Because the NGA's mission is to represent all 55 governors, the Association is no longer serving as the facilitator for that event, and it is no longer included in our official program," Stitt wrote.
The NGA had been scheduled to hold its Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C., from Feb. 19 to 21. The agenda traditionally includes a policy session at the White House and a related dinner hosted by the president. In past years, governors from both major parties have been invited as part of efforts to promote cooperation between federal and state governments.
Democratic Governors Condemn Decision
The controversy arose after an invitation list released by the White House last week did not include Maryland Governor Wes Moore and Colorado Governor Jared Polis, both Democrats. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and California Governor Gavin Newsom, who have had strained relations with Trump, were also reportedly not invited.
"If the reports are true that not all governors are invited to these events, which have historically been productive and bipartisan opportunities for collaboration, we will not be attending the White House dinner this year," the Democratic governors wrote in a joint statement Tuesday. "Democratic governors remain united and will never stop fighting to protect and make life better for people in our states."
Among those signing the statement were Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, chair of the Democratic Governors Association; Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, the association's vice chair; and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. All three are widely viewed as potential contenders in the 2028 presidential election.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who has previously clashed with the Trump administration over issues including the deployment of National Guard troops and immigration enforcement personnel, also joined the statement.
White House's Response
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that while the White House is the people's house, "it's also the president's home, and so he can invite whomever he wants to dinners and events here at the White House."
Leavitt noted Moore did not attend the dinner in 2025.
Last year, Trump clashed with Moore after threatening to deploy the National Guard to Baltimore and suggesting he might withhold federal funding for reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
Over the past year, tensions between the Trump administration and several Democratic governors have deepened, with disputes ranging from federal deployments of National Guard troops to state-level policy disagreements. Public confrontations at the White House have underscored the increasingly strained relationship between the administration and some state leaders.
(By Evelyn)
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