President Donald Trump said he did not invite Maryland Gov. Wes Moore to the upcoming National Governors Association dinner at the White House, accusing the Democratic governor of misrepresenting his military record and criticizing his leadership in the state.
In a post addressing the guest list for the annual NGA gathering, Trump referred to Moore as “the foul mouthed Governor of Maryland, who fraudulently stated that he received Military medals, A LIE, is doing a terrible job on the rebuilding of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, and has allowed Baltimore to continue to be a Crime Disaster.” Trump said Moore was one of two governors he deemed “not worthy” of attending.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 11, 2026
Moore announced that he had been uninvited from the dinner, calling the decision “a blatant disrespect and a snub” to a longstanding bipartisan tradition. The NGA dinner, held annually for decades, is designed to bring governors from both parties together with the president to celebrate public service and strengthen federal-state partnerships.
“This week, I learned that I was uninvited to this year’s National Governors Association dinner — a decades-long annual tradition meant to bring governors from both parties together to build bonds and celebrate a shared service to our citizens with the President of the United States,” Moore said in a statement.
This week, I learned that I was uninvited to this year’s National Governors Association dinner — a decades-long annual tradition meant to bring governors from both parties together to build bonds and celebrate a shared service to our citizens with the President of the United…
— Governor Wes Moore (@GovWesMoore) February 8, 2026
Moore, the nation’s only Black governor, was selected by his peers to serve as Vice Chair of the NGA. He said the exclusion was difficult to separate from that role and from broader concerns about representation. “My peers, both Democrats and Republicans, selected me to serve as the Vice Chair of the NGA, another reason why it’s hard not to see this decision as another example of blatant disrespect and a snub to the spirit of bipartisan federal-state partnership,” Moore said.
“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,” he added.
Despite the dispute, Moore emphasized his willingness to continue working with the administration. “As Governor of Maryland and Vice Chair of the NGA, my approach will never change: I’m ready to work with the administration anywhere we can deliver results. Yet, I promised the people of my state I will work with anybody but will bow down to nobody. And I guess the President doesn’t like that,” he said.
The NGA, founded in 1908, serves as a bipartisan forum for the nation’s governors to develop policy solutions and coordinate with federal leaders. The annual dinner has traditionally symbolized cooperation across party lines. Moore’s exclusion has drawn attention to the evolving tone of federal-state relations as political divisions remain pronounced.
