Lead: The National Governors Association announced on Wednesday that all 55 governors and territorial leaders were invited to a White House business meeting set for Friday, Feb. 20, after an initial plan that appeared to exclude some Democratic governors. The reversal followed an Oklahoma governor’s letter saying invitations were extended to every member and a White House confirmation to reporters. President Donald J. Trump publicly defended the earlier exclusion of two Democratic governors while criticizing the NGA co-chair and the Oklahoma governor who communicated the change. The events capped several days of confusion over scheduling and who would attend.
Key Takeaways
- The NGA confirmed that invitations were extended to all 55 governors and territorial leaders for the Feb. 20 business breakfast at 8:30 a.m. ET.
- Oklahoma GOP Gov. Kevin Stitt sent a Wednesday letter saying the president invited “all governors of the 55 States and territories,” citing a scheduling misunderstanding.
- Earlier, Stitt told members Monday that the NGA would not facilitate the White House event after Democrats were initially excluded from the program, a move he framed as protecting the association’s bipartisanship.
- President Trump publicly criticized Govs. Wes Moore (Maryland) and Jared Polis (Colorado) on Truth Social, saying two governors were “not worthy” of attending and disputing Stitt’s description of his position.
- Reports indicate Democratic governors began receiving invitations Wednesday, and a White House spokesperson confirmed all NGA members had been invited to the business meeting.
- The dispute highlighted friction within the NGA co-leadership — GOP Gov. Kevin Stitt and Democratic Gov. Wes Moore — and broader tensions between the White House and some state executives.
Background
The National Governors Association (NGA) traditionally convenes as a bipartisan forum representing governors from the 50 states and five territories. The NGA co-chairs for the current year are Oklahoma Republican Kevin Stitt and Maryland Democrat Wes Moore, a structure designed to preserve cross-party engagement on federal-state issues. Governors routinely travel to Washington for meetings at the White House and related receptions, where protocol and guest lists are typically coordinated between the White House and the NGA staff.
This week’s episode began when scheduling communications indicated a White House-hosted dinner and business meeting would not include several Democratic governors. Stitt initially told NGA members on Monday that the association would no longer facilitate the event after that exclusion, describing the action as divisive and outside the NGA’s mission to represent all 55 governors. The apparent exclusion was notable because the NGA has historically sought to maintain an even-handed posture in high-profile federal interactions.
Main Event
On Wednesday, Gov. Stitt circulated a follow-up letter to colleagues stating that President Trump had invited every governor and territorial leader to the NGA business breakfast on Friday, Feb. 20, at 8:30 a.m. ET, and that the exclusion had been a “misunderstanding in scheduling.” Stitt’s letter — shared with reporters — said Mr. Trump “was very clear” that the event was an NGA function and that he looked forward to hearing from governors across the country.
A source within the NGA confirmed to reporters that Democratic governors had initially received no invitation to the morning business meeting but began receiving invitations Wednesday after the matter was raised internally. The White House also conveyed to CNN that all members of the NGA were invited to the Friday session, removing immediate ambiguity about attendance at the formal business breakfast.
Later Wednesday, President Trump posted on Truth Social, criticizing Gov. Stitt and asserting that invitations to an annual White House governors dinner had gone to “ALL Governors, other than two,” whom he said were “not worthy of being there.” In successive posts, the president named Gov. Jared Polis and Gov. Wes Moore and leveled policy and performance criticisms that were attributed to him on the platform.
The exchange intensified political scrutiny of White House vetting and guest-list decisions and put the NGA in the unusual position of publicly navigating an internal dispute with a sitting president and within its own bipartisan leadership.
Analysis & Implications
The immediate implication is procedural and reputational: the NGA moved to restore parity by ensuring invitations to all members, preserving its institutional claim of bipartisan representation. That response reduces the risk of long-term institutional damage that could arise if the NGA were perceived to sanction partisan exclusion from official events.
Politically, the incident underscores widening rifts between the White House and some state leaders, particularly Democrats whose policy stances conflict with presidential priorities. The president’s public naming of two Democratic governors and his rationale for their exclusion—citing policy disputes and critiques of local officials—shifts the debate from procedural fairness to political retribution, a dynamic likely to complicate future federal-state cooperation on contested issues.
Operationally, the episode may prompt the NGA and the White House to tighten coordination on invite lists and public communications to avoid future misunderstandings. Governors depend on clear, apolitical channels for negotiating federal resources and collaboration; ambiguities around guest lists can erode trust and hinder joint policymaking, especially on urgent issues like infrastructure, public safety and disaster response.
Comparison & Data
| When | Action |
|---|---|
| Monday, Feb. 9–11, 2026 | Stitt informed members NGA would not facilitate the White House event after reports of Democratic exclusions. |
| Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026 | Stitt sent letter saying all 55 governors were invited; White House confirmed to reporters. |
The short timeline above shows how rapidly the situation evolved over a few days, moving from perceived exclusion to a formal invitation for all members. That swift reversal suggests either a correction of internal miscommunication or a rapid political response to public scrutiny — both outcomes that will be examined by governors and staff in the coming days.
Reactions & Quotes
Governors, White House officials and the president all offered terse public lines; below are representative excerpts with context.
“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.”
Gov. Kevin Stitt (letter to NGA members)
Stitt’s letter framed the Wednesday notice as resolving a “misunderstanding in scheduling” and emphasized the event’s nature as an NGA occasion, not a partisan White House affair.
“The invitations were sent to ALL Governors, other than two, who I feel are not worthy of being there.”
President Donald J. Trump (Truth Social)
The president’s post explicitly defended a prior decision to exclude two Democratic governors and named those officials while challenging Stitt’s characterization of the situation. The comments shifted attention back to political grievances rather than procedural resolution.
“Because NGA’s mission is to represent all 55 governors, the Association is no longer serving as the facilitator for that event.”
National Governors Association (Monday letter from co-chair)
That Monday statement, shared with members and reporters, was part of the initial steps that signaled the NGA’s concern about exclusions and the association’s intent to protect its bipartisan role.
Unconfirmed
- Whether the initial exclusions were the result of an explicit White House directive or an administrative scheduling error has not been independently verified.
- It is not yet confirmed if any invited governors will decline attendance in response to the dispute.
- Details about which specific dinner invitations differed from the business breakfast invitations remain unverified in public records.
Bottom Line
The NGA’s move to ensure that all 55 governors were invited to the Feb. 20 business breakfast restored a degree of institutional normalcy and reduced the immediate risk of a formal rupture between the association and the White House. That procedural correction matters because the NGA’s authority depends on appearing even-handed and representative of governors across party lines.
However, President Trump’s public defense of selective exclusions and his criticisms of individual governors keep political tensions alive and could complicate cooperative federal-state work on policy areas where governors seek White House input. The episode will likely prompt closer scrutiny of White House event protocols and may influence how governors negotiate access and public communications in the months ahead.