NGA Cancels White House Meeting After Trump Snubs Democrats

The traditional bipartisan bridge between the nation’s governors and the presidency collapsed on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, when the National Governors Association (NGA) announced it would no longer facilitate its annual White House meeting. The move came after President Donald Trump limited invitations to the business session to Republican governors only, a move the NGA called “disappointing.”

The “Uninvited” List and the Bipartisan Boycott

While the NGA Winter Meeting is set to proceed in Washington from Feb. 19–21, the associated White House events have been stripped of their “official” status.

• The Snub: Reports emerged over the weekend that the President specifically disinvited Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D)—the NGA Vice Chair and the nation’s only Black governor—and Colorado Governor Jared Polis (D) from the annual black-tie dinner.
• The Response: In a show of solidarity, 18 Democratic governors (led by Kentucky’s Andy Beshear and Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer) issued a joint statement Tuesday declaring they will boycott the White House dinner entirely.
• The “Partisan” Shift: The White House further escalated tensions by announcing that the official business meeting with the President on Feb. 20 would be restricted to Republicans, prompting the NGA to pull the event from its program.

Wes Moore: “Blatant Disrespect”

Governor Wes Moore released a pointed statement questioning why he was excluded from an organization his peers—both Republican and Democrat—voted for him to lead.

“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… I promised the people of my state I will work with anybody but will bow down to nobody. And I guess the President doesn’t like that.” — Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD)

Moore noted the exclusion was particularly “confounding” given that he was at the White House just weeks ago working on energy grid reforms with the administration.

The Republican Response: Stitt and the White House

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt (R), the current NGA Chair, attempted to preserve the association’s integrity by distancing it from the President’s actions.

• Stitt’s Letter: He wrote that the NGA “cannot allow one divisive action to achieve its goal of dividing us,” and confirmed that no NGA resources would be used to support the now-partisan White House session.
• The White House Defense: Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the move Tuesday, describing the White House as both the “People’s House” and the “President’s home.” She stated the President has total discretion over his guest list and noted that Moore did not attend the dinner last year.

Escalating State-Federal Tensions

The boycott is the latest flashpoint in a deteriorating relationship between the Trump administration and Democratic-led states. Tensions have peaked over:

1. National Guard Units: Threats from the White House to “nationalize” state Guard units for immigration enforcement.
2. Federal Agents: The recent fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis.
3. Electoral Control: Trump’s calls to “nationalize” voting in specific Democratic strongholds.