GOVERNORS AND THE WHITE HOUSE: A TANGLE OF INVITATIONS

A meeting at the White House that usually brings governors together has turned into a political mess. The event is scheduled for February 20 and usually includes governors from every state, both Democrats and Republicans. President Trump said he sent invitations to all governors except two Democratic leaders: Wes Moore of Maryland and Jared Polis of Colorado. He posted this claim on Truth Social, sparking confusion because the National Governors Association (NGA) says it planned a bipartisan gathering. The NGA’s chief, Brandon Tatum, confirmed that the meeting would welcome governors from all 55 states and territories. He highlighted the tradition of building bridges across party lines at this dinner and business breakfast. Governor Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, chair of the NGA, wrote to his colleagues that Trump had clearly invited all governors. Stitt called the president’s message “very clear” and said any misunderstanding was already being fixed.Trump countered by calling Stitt a “RINO” and later a “wiseguy, ” implying that Stitt was not truly Republican. He also said he had invited almost all Democratic governors to a separate dinner, which is different from the business meeting. The confusion grew when an NGA official said the White House had only invited Republican governors to the February 20 business event. The NGA then stopped acting as the meeting’s organizer, saying it could no longer facilitate a bipartisan event. A group of Democratic governors announced they would not attend unless all governors were invited. They sent a joint statement warning that exclusion would lead to their refusal of the invitation. In response, Stitt’s spokesperson confirmed he had received his own invitation and was waiting for the others. The situation remains unresolved, leaving many governors uncertain about their participation in the upcoming White House gathering.