Wes Moore says he wasn&x27;t invited to White House, won&x27;t attend Trump meeting Francesca Chambers, USA TODAYWed, February 18, 2026 at 10:39 PM UTC 0 WASHINGTON — Maryland Gov. Wes Moore says he was not invited to and would not attend a working breakfast for governors at the White House this week after President Donald Trump repeatedly insulted him. "No. The president's been very clear on multiple occasions that he does not want to see me, so I'm fine with that," Moore, a Democrat, said in a Feb. 18 interview with USA TODAY.
Wes Moore says he wasn't invited to White House, won't attend Trump meeting
Francesca Chambers, USA TODAYWed, February 18, 2026 at 10:39 PM UTC
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WASHINGTON — Maryland Gov. Wes Moore says he was not invited to and would not attend a working breakfast for governors at the White House this week after President Donald Trump repeatedly insulted him.
"No. The president's been very clear on multiple occasions that he does not want to see me, so I'm fine with that," Moore, a Democrat, said in a Feb. 18 interview with USA TODAY.
Trump has singled out Moore for criticism, blaming him for a Potomac sewage spill, assailing his handing of Baltimore's bridge collapse and invoking a controversy over his military record. Moore is up for reelection this year and is considered a potential 2028 presidential candidate, even though he's said he sees no reason to run.
Trump initially sought to limit the traditionally bipartisan event that's associated with the annual National Governors' Association meeting in Washington to elected Republicans. The bipartisan organization that's led by Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican, then said it would no longer participate, forcing what appeared to be an about-face by the president.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore sits for a portrait in his office in the Maryland State House in Annapolis, MD, on Friday, June 28, 2024. Moore was sworn in as the 63rd Governor of Maryland on January 18, 2023. He took the oath of office at the Maryland State House in Annapolis, becoming the state's first Black governor and the third in U.S. history. Look back at his life from former Army Captain to governor of Maryland.
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Stitt then told governors that Trump would be inviting every member of the organization to the Feb. 20 breakfast. But later the same day Trump said in a social media post that Stitt incorrectly stated his position on the meeting and a separate dinner that's taking place on Feb. 21. Trump said every governor except Democrats Moore and Jared Polis, of Colorado, were invited to the policy breakfast and the White House dinner.
"The invitations were sent to ALL Governors, other than two, who I feel are not worthy of being there," Trump said.
The president said he would not be inviting Polis or 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."
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"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," Trump said in the Feb. 11 post.
Democratic governors previously said they would not attend the dinner or the meeting over Moore and Polis' exclusion from the White House event. Governors were still expected to skip the dinner at the time of the interview with Moore, but it was unclear if they would attend the breakfast.
Moore, 47, serves as vice chair of the NGA. He told USA TODAY he would be participating in other parts of the conference that's taking place in Washington Feb. 19-21. But he said the organization would not take part in White House events if some of its members were excluded.
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"We will continue all the traditions of being able to make sure that we're spending time together, getting to know each other Republicans and Democrats and work together. But none of us are interested in attending a reality television show set," he said. "And we also know that if you are excluding individuals part of our organization, then that means you are excluding the organization and the organization as a whole. The NGA will not participate in something that all the governors are not invited to."
As recently as this week, the NGA said every governor had been invited to the policy meeting at the White House that's doubling as a breakfast, with the association again serving as the organizer. But in the interview, Moore indicated that was not the case.
"If all the governors are not invited to, there is no NGA breakfast —that is just the president deciding who he wants to invite and the president can invite whoever he wants, but it will not be a National Governor's Association event," Moore said.
A spokesperson for Polis referred questions about the matter to the White House. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Moore says he wasn't invited to Trump meeting for governors
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Published: February 18, 2026 at 05:54PM on Source: PRIME TIME
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