Maine Governor Janet Mills to Attend Governors Banquet After Trump Reverses Snub

The annual bipartisan event had initially excluded Democratic governors, but the White House walked that back after pushback.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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Democratic Governor Janet Mills of Maine will attend the National Governors Association meeting and banquet at the White House, after President Donald Trump initially said he would only invite Republican governors. The White House reversed course after the NGA said it would not facilitate the event if governors were excluded based on party affiliation.

Why it matters

The annual governors meeting is a key bipartisan event, and Trump's initial plan to exclude Democrats raised concerns about growing partisan divisions. Mills' attendance signals a return to a more collaborative approach between the White House and state leaders of both parties.

The details

President Trump had said he would only invite Republican governors to the annual NGA meeting and banquet, but walked that back after the NGA threatened to not facilitate the event if governors were excluded based on party affiliation. The initial snub of Democratic governors, including Maine's Janet Mills, was seen as an attempt to further partisan divisions.

  • The National Governors Association meeting and banquet is an annual event.
  • President Trump initially announced he would only invite Republican governors in February 2026.
  • The White House reversed course and sent invitations to all governors, except for two Democrats, shortly after.

The players

Janet Mills

The Democratic governor of Maine who will attend the National Governors Association meeting at the White House.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States who initially said he would only invite Republican governors to the annual NGA event, before reversing that decision.

Wes Moore

The Democratic governor of Maryland and vice chair of the National Governors Association, who was not initially invited to the White House event.

Jared Polis

The Democratic governor of Colorado who was also not initially invited to the White House governors meeting.

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What they’re saying

“We've seen this president undermine the rule of law and trample on the Constitution at every turn and try to attack and intimidate those who dare to stand up to him or disagree with him – like he did to me last year. I will not hesitate to stand up to him again to protect Maine.”

— Janet Mills, Governor of Maine (WMTW)

“I look forward to seeing the Republican governors, and some of the Democrats governors who were worthy of being invited, but most of whom won't show up.”

— Donald Trump (Truth Social)

What’s next

The National Governors Association meeting and banquet will take place at the White House in the coming weeks, providing an opportunity for bipartisan collaboration between state leaders and the federal government.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing partisan tensions in Washington, but also the importance of maintaining bipartisan cooperation between the White House and state governors. The reversal of the initial snub of Democratic governors suggests a recognition that such divisive tactics are counterproductive.