By Aaron Miller-
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Governors Association (NGA) has cancelled its planned meeting with President Donald Trump later this month after the White House limited invitations exclusively to Republican governors — leaving Democratic state leaders shut out of the session.
The governors’ gathering, typically a hallmark of federal-state cooperation, had been scheduled to take place in Washington Feb. 19–21 and was to include a working session at the White House with Trump administration Cabinet officials and other federal leaders.
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But Republican-only invitations for the core meeting prompted a swift and decisive reaction from the bipartisan governors’ group.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt (R), (pictured)who serves as chair of the NGA, informed his fellow governors in a letter Monday that the association would no longer facilitate the White House session because it violated the NGA’s mission to represent all 55 governors — Democrat and Republican alike. As a result, the meeting was removed from the official NGA program.
Brandon Tatum, the NGA’s CEO, said in a statement to reporters that excluding Democratic governors from a presidential governors’ event “undermines an important opportunity for federal-state collaboration”, and departs from the nonpartisan purpose of the association.
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In addition to the cancellation of the main meeting, 18 Democratic governors announced they would boycott the traditional White House dinner scheduled during the NGA winter meeting, citing the selective invitations as a rejection of bipartisan cooperation and respect.
Democratic leaders said the move threatens the long-standing bipartisan forum governors have used to work across party lines on key issues such as disaster response, healthcare, infrastructure and federal funding.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the decision, asserting that the president has the right to choose whom to invite to events at the White House and dismissing the backlash by saying the administration still plans engagements with some Democratic governors outside the formal meeting. Critics interpreted her remarks as glossing over the political implications.
A Break From Tradition
Governors from both parties have historically used the annual White House meeting as a rare venue for bipartisan exchange with the executive branch. Trump’s shift to a GOP-only format sharply contrasts with past gatherings under both Republican and Democratic presidents.
Observers warn the schism could deepen partisan divides at a time when federal-state cooperation is vital for addressing issues like disaster relief, public safety, and economic development. Some governors criticized the White House’s approach as short-sighted and potentially harmful to governance.
Image: Whitney Bryen/Oklahoma Watch)
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