Washington– The annual governors’ meeting that has long served as a rare bipartisan gathering is disintegrating after President Donald Trump excluded Democratic governors from White House events.
The National Governors Association said it will no longer hold a formal meeting with Trump when governors are scheduled to meet in Washington later this month, after the White House planned to invite only Republican governors. On Tuesday, 18 Democratic governors announced that they would boycott a traditional dinner at the White House.
“If reports are correct that not all governors have been invited to these events, which have historically been productive opportunities for bipartisanship, we will not be attending the White House Dinner this year,” the group wrote. “Democratic governors remain united and will never stop fighting to protect the people in our states and make life better for them.”
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican and president of the NGA, said in a Monday letter to fellow governors obtained by The Associated Press that the White House intends to limit invitations to the association’s annual business meeting, scheduled for Feb. 20, to Republican governors only.
“Because the NGA’s mission is to represent all 55 governors, the NGA is no longer serving as a facilitator for this event, and is no longer included in our official program,” Stitt wrote.
The NGA is scheduled to meet in Washington from February 19-21. Representatives for Stitt, the White House and the NGA did not immediately comment on the letter.
NGA CEO Brandon Tatum said in a statement last week that the White House gathering is an “important tradition,” and said the organization was “disappointed in the administration’s decision to make it a partisan event this year.”
The Conservative Caucus is one of the few remaining places where political leaders from both major parties come together to discuss the most important issues facing their communities. In his message, Stitt encouraged state governors to unite around common goals.
“We cannot allow one divisive action to achieve its goal of dividing us,” he wrote. “The solution is not to reciprocate, but to rise to the top and remain focused on our shared duty to the people we serve. America’s governors have always been models of practical leadership, and that example becomes even more important when Washington becomes distracted by politics.”
There were signs of partisan tensions in the White House Last year’s meetingwhen Trump and Maine Governor. Janet Mills Harsh criticism circulated.
Trump singled out the Democratic governor for seeking to ban transgender athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports, and threatened to withhold federal funding from the state if she did not comply. “We’ll see you in court,” Mills replied.
Trump then predicted that Mills’ political career would end because of his opposition to this matter. She is now running for US Senate.
Disagreements had a lasting impact on last year’s convention, and some Democratic governors did not renew their dues last year to the bipartisan group.
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Peoples reported from New York.