In the words of Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, the annual bipartisan governor’s conference resulted in “a lot of drama.”
Governor Wes Moore rejected by President Trump from attending annual governor’s dinner
Governor Wes Moore speaks frankly about the future direction of the Democratic Party in an exclusive interview
WASHINGTON – A four-letter phrase uttered by one of the nation’s governors gained political notoriety last year as they gathered at the White House for the Winter Games in the nation’s capital.
“See you in court.”
Janet Mills, a Democrat who leads Maine, hurled the word at President Donald Trump after he called her out by name. President Trump threatened to cut off federal funding to Maine if Mills did not fully comply with a recent executive order that seeks to ban transgender athletes from school sports.
Last year, her filed rebuttal became a rallying cry for many blue state leaders who have flooded the judicial system with lawsuits against the Trump administration. And arguably began Mills’ push to unseat longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Maine this November.
The National Governors Association Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C., a historically bipartisan event, is only getting more political.
This time, Trump initially tried to invite only Republican governors to meet with him during the meeting. Pressure from Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, the Republican NGA chairman, almost caused the president to back down. Although it is not without criticism.
“As usual, Stitt got it wrong!” President Trump said in a Feb. 11 Truth social post. He maintained that he would still not allow Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis to enter the White House.
The whole controversy highlights Washington’s latest bipartisan tradition of increasing politicization during President Trump’s second term. It’s also happening at a time when an unusual number of members of Congress are eyeing the governor’s mansion.
Despite the partisan bickering, governors from both parties have vowed to put aside their differences at the annual convention (even though some have protested and disrespected the White House).
“As governor, there will be more that unites us than divides us,” Stitt said at a Feb. 18 event. “We actually get along.”
Changes since President Trump’s first term
When Democratic former Montana Governor Steve Bullock served as president of the National Governors Association for a year during President Trump’s first term, he had many disagreements with the president. Still, the two managed to get along well.
Bullock realized the situation was different when he saw President Trump name-drop the Maine governor last year.
“Traditionally, business meetings have not been done that way,” he told USA TODAY.
The purpose of the governor’s meeting with the White House was never to “pick one state,” he said, but “to discuss the real issue of federalism: power sharing between the federal and state governments.” Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who led New Hampshire from 1997 to 2003, said conversations with her Republican colleagues helped her do her job better.
“When I was governor, I valued being able to compare notes with my Republican colleagues on how we could make government work better for our constituents, even when we had philosophical disagreements,” she said in a statement to USA TODAY.
Like many political traditions in the Trump 2.0 era, the annual meeting has been shaped by the president’s whims. But even if President Trump continues to nominate him, that shouldn’t undermine the important bipartisan work of the National Governors Association, Maryland’s Wes Moore told USA TODAY in an interview.
“We’re going to continue all that tradition of making sure that Republicans and Democrats can spend time together and get to know each other,” he said.
Contributor: Francesca Chambers, USA TODAY
Zachary Schermele is a Congressional reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach me by email at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and on Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social..
