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President Trump Clashes with Republican Governor Over White House Meeting Invitations
President Donald Trump publicly criticized Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, the Republican chairman of the National Governors Association (NGA), on Wednesday as tensions escalated ahead of the organization’s annual meeting at the White House next week.
The dispute centers on which governors would be invited to participate in the traditional White House business meeting. In a social media post, Trump labeled Stitt a “RINO” (Republican In Name Only) and claimed the governor had “incorrectly stated my position” regarding invitations to the annual governors’ gathering.
The controversy began Monday when Stitt informed fellow governors that the White House planned to limit business meeting invitations to Republican governors only. This departure from the traditional bipartisan format prompted immediate backlash from Democratic governors, many of whom threatened to skip the dinner portion of the event if excluded from policy discussions.
By Wednesday, Stitt had spoken directly with Trump and sent a follow-up email to governors stating that all 55 state and territorial leaders were invited to the February 20 NGA Business Breakfast. “He was very clear in his communications with me that this is a National Governors Association’s event, and he looks forward to hosting you and hearing from governors across the country,” Stitt wrote, adding that the previous situation had been a “misunderstanding in scheduling.”
Trump, however, took a more confrontational approach in his social media response, calling Stitt’s original letter “false” and asserting that invitations were sent to “ALL Governors, other than two, who I feel are not worthy of being there.” He specifically named Democratic Governors Wes Moore of Maryland and Jared Polis of Colorado as those excluded.
“I look forward to seeing the Republican Governors, and some of the Democrats Governors who were worthy of being invited, but most of whom won’t show up,” Trump added.
The NGA’s chief executive, Brandon Tatum, defended the organization’s account of events. “As of Tuesday evening, only Republican Governors received invites from the White House for the Friday morning business meeting,” Tatum said in a statement. “We are hopeful that we can have constructive bipartisan dialogue with the President during the session.”
The White House has maintained its position on the matter, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stating Tuesday that Trump has “discretion to invite anyone he wants to the White House.”
The invitation controversy has created uncertainty about Democratic participation. California Governor Gavin Newsom indicated Wednesday he would not attend, while Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signaled he would participate in the meeting.
This dispute highlights the growing challenges facing bipartisan organizations in Washington during Trump’s second term. The U.S. Conference of Mayors, which includes city leaders from both parties, met in Washington earlier this month but received no White House invitation.
Last year’s governors’ meeting was marked by similar partisan tension. During that gathering, Trump publicly confronted Maine Democratic Governor Janet Mills over transgender athlete policies, threatening to withhold federal funding and predicting her political demise. Mills, who responded at the time with “We’ll see you in court,” is now running for U.S. Senate on an anti-Trump platform.
The confrontation had lasting repercussions, with several Democratic governors reportedly declining to renew their NGA membership dues afterward.
As the February 20 meeting approaches, the NGA leadership is attempting to maintain its traditional bipartisan approach while navigating the increasingly polarized political landscape. Whether the organization can preserve its historical role as a venue for cooperation between governors of both parties remains uncertain as tensions between the White House and Democratic state leaders continue to rise.
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8 Comments
Interesting development in the ongoing power struggle between the White House and state governors. It will be important to see how this plays out and whether a bipartisan approach can be restored for the upcoming NGA meeting.
This dispute highlights the deep partisan divisions in American politics. While I understand the President’s desire to work with like-minded governors, excluding the opposition party sets a dangerous precedent.
Agreed. Maintaining a bipartisan approach, even in the face of political differences, is crucial for effective governance and policymaking.
This seems like an unnecessarily partisan move by the President. Governors from both parties should be involved in these important policy discussions, not just those from his own party.
Agreed. Limiting participation to only Republican governors sets a concerning precedent and undermines the bipartisan nature of the NGA.
It’s disappointing to see partisan politics interfere with the important work of the National Governors Association. I hope cooler heads prevail and all state leaders are able to participate constructively.
As an independent observer, I’m curious to hear more details on the rationale behind the White House’s initial plan to exclude Democratic governors. Transparency and inclusive dialogue are crucial for effective policymaking.
Hopefully this issue can be resolved amicably before the NGA meeting. Cooperation between state and federal leaders, regardless of party affiliation, is essential for addressing the challenges facing the country.