In February 2026, President Trump excluded Democratic governors from the traditionally bipartisan White House gathering held during the National Governors Association's annual Washington summit—breaking decades of tradition observed by presidents of both parties. Democratic governors were shut out of the business meeting entirely, and Maryland Governor Wes Moore and Colorado Governor Jared Polis were specifically disinvited from the dinner without explanation.
Moore, the NGA Vice Chair elected by both Democratic and Republican peers, said it was “hard not to see this decision as another example of blatant disrespect and a snub to the spirit of bipartisan federal-state partnership.” NGA interim CEO Brandon Tatum said, “We are disappointed in the administration's decision to make it a partisan occasion this year.”
This is a president who treats democratically elected state leaders as enemies simply because they belong to the opposing party. The White House belongs to the American people—not just Trump's allies. Refusing to meet with governors who represent millions of Americans sends a clear message: Trump governs only for those who support him.
Correction (October 2, 2026): We removed a citation whose link no longer resolves to the cited article and could not be verified: WTOP (“Maryland Gov. Moore excluded from governors' events at the White House”). The remaining sources are listed below.