Maryland Governor Wes Moore announced that he was uninvited from this year’s National Governors Association (NGA) dinner, calling the decision “a blatant disrespect and a snub” to the long-standing 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 build cross-party relationships. Moore, the nation’s only Black governor, was selected by his peers to serve as Vice Chair of the NGA, making the exclusion particularly notable.
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
“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. “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 highlighted the broader significance of the decision, noting that as the only Black governor in the country, being singled out for exclusion carries an added weight. “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 said.
He described the decision as especially confusing given his recent work with the White House on energy and infrastructure initiatives. “What makes it especially confounding is that just weeks ago I was at the White House with a bipartisan group of governors, working with the administration on reforms to lower energy costs and strengthen grid reliability. We proved in that moment what’s possible when we stay focused on outcomes over politics,” Moore said.
Despite the exclusion, Moore emphasized his commitment to collaboration. “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.
Moore’s comments come amid ongoing discussions about diversity, representation, and the tone of federal-state relations in Washington. The NGA dinner has long been a symbolic gathering aimed at transcending party divisions, providing governors with a platform to advance shared policy priorities and strengthen intergovernmental partnerships. His exclusion raises questions about how those traditions are upheld and whether political or personal dynamics influenced the decision.
