The National Governors Association (NGA) came to the conclusion it is hard to have a bipartisan gathering when both parties are not invited.
That’s why the NGA canceled its annual White House meeting — President Donald Trump only invited Republicans, per The Hill.
The annual meeting is traditionally bipartisan and gives governors a chance to meet with one another and the president.
“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,” Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) wrote in a letter as he announced plans to cancel the meeting, according to The Associated Press.
Stitt said Trump’s decision to not invite Democratic governors would not divide the association.
“We cannot allow one divisive action to achieve its goal of dividing us,” he wrote. “The solution is not to respond in kind, but to rise above and to remain focused on our shared duty to the people we serve. America’s governors have always been models of pragmatic leadership, and that example is most important when Washington grows distracted by politics.”
The NGA will meet in Washington Feb. 19-21.
The New York Times first reported Friday that Trump did not invite Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D), the country’s only Black governor and vice chair of the NGA, or Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) to the bipartisan dinner for governors and their families.
“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 group wrote in a statement.
“Democratic governors remain united and will never stop fighting to protect and make life better for people in our states,” they added.
Moore also raised concerns over the partisan exclusion.
“My peers, both Democrats and Republicans, selected me to serve as the Vice Chair of the NGA, another reason why it’s hard not to see this decision as another example of blatant disrespect and a snub to the spirit of bipartisan federal-state partnership,” he wrote in a statement.
“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,” he added.
“What makes it especially confounding is that just weeks ago I was at the White House with a bipartisan group of governors, working with the administration on reforms to lower energy costs and strengthen grid reliability,” Moore continued. “We proved in that moment what’s possible when we stay focused on outcomes over politics.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Trump’s move during Tuesday’s briefing.
“I just spoke with the president about this,” Leavitt said. “It is a dinner at the White House. It’s the ‘People’s House.’ It’s also the president’s home, and he can invite whomever he wants to dinners and events here at the White House.”
