Governors Moore and Polis to Attend White House Meeting After Reversal

Democratic leaders say they will participate but not engage in political stunts

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Democratic Governors Wes Moore of Maryland and Jared Polis of Colorado announced they will attend the National Governors Association (NGA) meeting at the White House on Friday after the administration reversed course and extended invitations to the pair. However, Moore stated he will not participate in "political stunts" and Polis said the Democratic governors are still barred from the annual White House dinner.

Why it matters

The reversal by the White House to include all Democratic governors in the traditionally bipartisan NGA meeting comes after initial exclusions raised concerns about political divisions. The governors' statements indicate a desire to focus on substantive issues rather than partisan politics.

The details

After initially only inviting Republican governors, the White House changed course and extended invitations to all Democratic governors, including Moore and Polis, to attend the NGA business meeting. However, the Democratic governors remain barred from the annual White House dinner, which Polis chaired last year.

  • The NGA meeting is scheduled for Friday, February 20, 2026.
  • The White House initially rescinded invitations to Moore and Polis last week.

The players

Wes Moore

The Democratic governor of Maryland and vice chair of the National Governors Association.

Jared Polis

The Democratic governor of Colorado who chaired the bipartisan NGA group last year.

Kevin Stitt

The Republican governor of Oklahoma and chair of the National Governors Association.

President Trump

The President of the United States who initially only invited Republican governors to the NGA meeting before reversing course.

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What they’re saying

“I will attend today's business meeting with my colleagues at the White House. But let me be abundantly clear: I will not participate in political stunts.”

— Wes Moore, Governor of Maryland (The Hill)

“I've always said I'm willing to work with anyone to make our state better. After the White House finally made it clear National Governors Association (@NatlGovsAssoc) vice chair Governor Wes Moore (@GovWesMoore) and I were invited to the business session, we decided it was important to attend today's meeting with fellow Governors of both parties to elevate the issues that Americans care about most and speak truth to power.”

— Jared Polis, Governor of Colorado (X)

What’s next

The Democratic governors remain barred from the annual White House dinner for governors on Saturday, which the other Democratic governors have decided to boycott.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing political divisions in Washington, but the governors' statements indicate a desire to move past partisan politics and focus on substantive issues that matter to their constituents.