WASHINGTON — All governors, regardless of party affiliation, are being invited to meet with President Donald Trump at the White House next week after previously trying to limit the annual gathering to Republican governors.
The shift came after Trump’s Feb. 11 phone call with Oklahoma Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt. Stitt is president of the National Governors Association, which represents the nation’s governors and coordinated the historic bipartisan conference.
“We are pleased that the President welcomed governors from all 55 states and territories to the White House,” NGA CEO Brandon Tatum said in a statement. “The bipartisan White House Governors Conference is a treasured tradition and an important opportunity to build bridges and engage in constructive dialogue. NGA looks forward to continued collaboration between governors and the White House.”
More: Democratic governors boycott White House dinner after Trump snubs both leaders
President Donald Trump holds a business meeting with U.S. governors attending the annual winter meeting of the National Governors Association (NGA) at the White House on February 21, 2025 in Washington, DC, the United States.
The bipartisan NGA had previously given up on coordinating the meeting after Trump said he would allow only Republican governors to attend.
However, it’s unclear whether Trump still plans to exclude two Democratic governors, Maryland’s Wes Moore and Colorado’s Jared Polis, from the White House dinner unrelated to the meeting. The two exclusions prompted 18 Democratic governors to announce plans on February 10 to boycott the dinner.
More: Trump excludes two Democrats from White House dinner with governors
The meeting and dinner are scheduled for February 19-21 when the NGA meets in Washington, DC.
The White House did not respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.
White House press secretary Carolyn Leavitt said at a press conference on February 10 that Trump “has the right to invite anyone he wants into the White House, and he welcomes everyone who is invited.”
“If they don’t want to, that’s their loss,” Levitt said.
Contact Joey Garrison at X @joeygarrison.
This article originally appeared in USA Today: Trump agrees to meet with all governors, regardless of party
