President Donald Trump has invited governors from both major parties to a traditionally bipartisan gathering at the White House next week, with the notable exceptions of Democratic governors Wes Moore of Maryland and Jared Polis of Colorado. This announcement comes after a recent dispute regarding the composition of attendees at the annual meeting, which has emerged as a major source of conflict. Initially, National Governors Association (NGA) officials claimed that Trump was only planning to include Republican governors in the session. However, Trump's Truth Social post on Wednesday afternoon contradicted this, stating that invitations to the meeting were sent to all governors except Moore and Polis. Trump also criticized Oklahoma Republican Governor Kevin Stitt, the chair of the NGA, over the dispute, labeling him a 'RINO' (Republican in name only). Stitt had previously informed NGA governors that Trump was inviting all governors to the NGA Business Breakfast on February 20th, but this was later retracted by the White House, leading to confusion. The situation highlights the tension between the NGA's bipartisan mission and Trump's apparent preference for a more exclusive event. Democratic governors have threatened to boycott the White House events if all governors are not invited, while Trump continues to defend his decision, accusing Stitt of misrepresenting his stance. The controversy underscores the challenges of maintaining bipartisan cooperation in the political arena.
