Wes Moore Uninvited By Trump To White House Governor Meetings

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said he has been excluded from this year's National Governors Association sessions at the White House, a traditionally bipartisan get-together with governors from across the nation.

The annual NGA meetings include a variety of events and working sessions where governors discuss matters impacting their constituents and action plans that can be implemented.

It also includes working meetings at the White House and a dinner hosted by the sitting president.

In a Sunday statement, Moore, a Democrat, said his exclusion is "another example of blatant disrespect and a snub to the spirit of bipartisan federal-state partnership," especially as he's been selected to serve as the NGA's vice chair.

“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," Moore said.

“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. We proved in that moment what’s possible when we stay focused on outcomes over politics."

Moore, however, is not the only governor who's been snubbed. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, was also sidelined.

The New York Times reported earlier that President Donald Trump "personally blocked" invites to Moore and Polis because he only wanted Republicans to participate.

The White House did not respond to questions from The Washington Post on why Moore and Polis were not invited to the meeting with Trump, and a spokesperson did not provide a list of Democrats who were invited to the dinner.

Moore has criticized Trump’s threat to send the National Guard to Baltimore and halt funding to replace the Key Bridge that collapsed in Baltimore Harbor. Trump has also said Baltimore is “crime ridden” despite the city recording its lowest homicide rate in 50 years in 2025.

In a statement to the Times, Brandon Tatum, NGA's acting executive director and CEO, expressed disappointment over the move, saying the decision "undermines an important opportunity for federal-state collaboration."

Politico reported that the tradition of the White House sessions dates back to at least the 1960s, during the Lyndon B. Johnson administration. Trump had already announced that the traditionally bipartisan winter meeting would include only Republican governors.

Moore's office has said the invitation snub will not affect the governor's participation in any other official NGA events, The Banner reported.

The three-day NGA meeting is scheduled to kick off Feb. 21.