Trump Excludes Democrats from Governors' White House Meeting

Bipartisan gathering unravels as president invites only Republicans

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

An annual meeting of the nation's governors that has long served as a rare bipartisan gathering is unraveling 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.

Why it matters

The governors' meeting has traditionally been a chance for bipartisan collaboration, but Trump's decision to only invite Republican governors threatens to undermine that tradition and further divide the political parties.

The details

According to reports, Trump has invited only Republican governors to White House events surrounding the National Governors Association meeting. In response, the association said it will no longer hold a formal meeting with the president, stating that if the reports are true, "we will not be attending the White House dinner this year."

  • The National Governors Association meeting is an annual event.

The players

Donald Trump

The 45th President of the United States.

National Governors Association

An organization representing the governors of the 50 U.S. states, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the five permanently inhabited U.S. territories.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

The National Governors Association has not yet confirmed whether it will hold any events with the White House during its annual meeting.

The takeaway

Trump's decision to exclude Democratic governors from the traditional bipartisan gathering of state leaders threatens to further divide the political parties and undermine opportunities for collaboration on important issues facing the states.