Annual Meet of U.S. Govs Sabotaged by Trump’s GOP-Only Invite

An annual meeting of the nation’s governors that has long served as a rare bipartisan gathering is unraveling after President Donald Trump excluded Democratic governors from White House events, Joey Cappelletti, Steve Peoples and Steven Sloan reported for the Associated Press (AP).

Invitations to the association’s annual business meeting were initially sent only to Republican governors. Even the organization's vice chair and the nation's only sitting black governor, Wes Moore of Maryland, was disinvited. (Photo: Governor Wes Moore Facebook) 

The National Governors Association said it will no longer hold a formal meeting with Trump when governors are scheduled to convene in Washington later this month after the White House planned to invite only Republican governors.

On Tuesday, 18 Democratic governors also announced they would boycott a traditional dinner at the White House.

“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 Democrats wrote.

“Democratic governors remain united and will never stop fighting to protect and make life better for people in our states.”

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican who chairs the NGA, told fellow governors in a letter on Monday that the White House intended to limit invitations to the association’s annual business meeting, scheduled for Feb. 20, to Republican governors only.

“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,” Stitt wrote in the letter, which was obtained by AP.