Photo: Alex Wong / Getty Images News / Getty Images
The National Governors Association’s annual winter meeting in Washington is still on, but the traditional White House session with the president is not.
After President Donald Trump invited only Republican governors to what has historically been a bipartisan White House gathering, the NGA announced it would no longer facilitate or formally support that portion of the event.
“Because 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,” Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R), the NGA chair, wrote in a letter first reported by The Associated Press.
The decision comes days after Maryland Gov. Wes Moore — the nation’s only sitting Black governor and the NGA’s vice chair — revealed that he had been excluded from the White House dinner. (Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) was also reportedly excluded.) Moore called the move “another example of blatant disrespect and a snub to the spirit of bipartisan federal-state partnership.”
“As the nation’s only Black governor, I can’t ignore that being singled out for exclusion from this bipartisan tradition carries an added weight — whether that was the intent or not,” Moore said.
Moore also noted that just weeks earlier, he had been at the White House with a bipartisan group of governors discussing energy costs and grid reliability. “We proved in that moment what’s possible when we stay focused on outcomes over politics,” he said.
Following reports of the selective invitations, 18 Democratic governors said they would not attend the White House dinner, emphasizing that the event has long served as a bipartisan space for collaboration.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the president’s decision, telling reporters, “It is a dinner at the White House. It’s the ‘People’s House.’ It’s also the president’s home, and he can invite whomever he wants.”
Governors will still meet in Washington for official NGA business. But the White House tradition — once a symbol of cross-party cooperation — won’t be part of this year’s program.
And after Moore’s very public exclusion, many are questioning what that shift says about the state of bipartisan leadership.
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.