WASHINGTON — A major bipartisan tradition in U.S. politics crumbled this week as the National Governors Association (NGA) announced it would no longer hold its annual formal meeting with President Donald Trump after the White House reportedly extended invitations only to Republican governors for the upcoming Washington gathering in February. 

The meeting, traditionally a rare venue for governors of both parties to engage with presidential administrations on issues ranging from infrastructure funding to disaster response, was slated for Feb. 19–21 with a White House session and dinner on Feb. 20. However, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt — a Republican and current NGA chairman — said in a letter to colleagues that the planned White House portion would exclude Democratic governors, which he described as incompatible with the NGA’s mission to represent all 55 state and territorial governors. 

“The NGA will no longer serve as the facilitator for that event,” Stitt wrote, noting that the White House meeting was no longer included in the association’s official program if it remained a partisan-only event. 

Tradition of Bipartisan Engagement Disrupted

For decades, annual meetings of the NGA have included bipartisan participation, allowing governors — Republican and Democratic alike — to meet with the president, members of the Cabinet, and federal officials to discuss pressing national and state policy priorities. Brandon Tatum, CEO of the bipartisan NGA, said limiting participation undermines “an important opportunity for federal-state collaboration” and harms the spirit of cooperation that governors rely on when working with federal partners. 

Eighteen Democratic governors also announced they would boycott a traditional White House dinner associated with the gathering in protest of the exclusion. These leaders, representing states from across the country, argued that sidelining them from federal engagement diminishes their ability to advocate for their residents. 

White House Response

The White House has so far not publicly elaborated on the decision to limit invitations to Republican governors beyond asserting the president’s prerogative in choosing guest lists for White House functions. In previous years, administrations of both parties treated the annual meeting as a nonpartisan opportunity to engage with governors on issues that transcend party lines, such as national emergencies, economic challenges, and federal funding. 

Echoes of Political Tensions

The change comes amid heightened political polarization in Washington and at the state level. Last year’s NGA meeting included a public dispute between Trump and Maine Governor Janet Mills, then a Democratic governor, over transgender athlete participation policies — an episode that reportedly strained the forum’s collaborative dynamic. Some Democratic governors chose not to renew their dues last year in response to that clash. 

Supporters of the White House’s approach argue that the event is a presidential function and that the president has the right to invite whomever he chooses. They contend that Republican governors still value the opportunity to engage with the administration directly. Detractors counter that the exclusion of nearly half the nation’s governors reduces opportunities for collective problem-solving during a period marked by natural disasters, infrastructure funding debates, and public health challenges.

What’s at Stake

The cancellation marks a shift in how federal-state relations are publicly navigated. With the formal NGA meeting sidelined, governors may instead pursue separate forums or informal gatherings to discuss shared challenges, but the absence of an official White House session erodes a long-standing mechanism for bipartisan state engagement.

As the debate continues, observers say the controversy reflects broader tensions in national politics, where traditional bipartisan rituals are increasingly strained by ideological divides — raising questions about how state and federal leaders will collaborate on common priorities in the coming years

Sources: AP News, Reuters