President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he has extended invitations for a traditionally bipartisan meeting with governors from both political parties at the White House, scheduled for February 20. However, two Democratic governors, Wes Moore of Maryland and Jared Polis of Colorado, have notably not been invited, stirring controversy.
The invitation has become contentious after officials from the National Governors Association (NGA) previously indicated that the meeting would only include Republican governors. Trump addressed the situation in a post on Truth Social, asserting that all governors except Moore and Polis had been invited. He also criticized Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, the chair of the NGA, for what he called a “misrepresentation” of the event.
Despite Trump’s claims, NGA leaders, prior to his announcement, indicated that Stitt had communicated with the White House and confirmed that all governors were to be invited to the meeting. Brandon Tatum, CEO of the NGA, expressed satisfaction with the invitation of all 55 state and territory governors, emphasizing the importance of the meeting as a means to foster bipartisan dialogue.
In a letter to NGA governors, Stitt confirmed that Trump had expressed a desire to hear from all governors, although he noted previous communications suggested invitations may have been limited. Following Trump’s announcement, it was reported that Moore had been invited earlier in the day, though it remains unclear if he will attend. Polis’s spokesperson emphasized the governor’s dedication to collaborating with leaders across party lines but did not confirm the status of his invitation.
The fate of a related traditional dinner remains uncertain, as earlier communications had indicated that only Republican governors were to be invited. Stitt had clarified in a previous letter that the NGA could no longer facilitate the meeting if the invitations were restricted.
Trump’s recent post sought to clarify the invitation situation, stating that any notion of restricting attendance to solely Republican governors was “false.” As the developments unfold, it remains to be seen whether the atmosphere of cooperation can be upheld amid these political tensions.