A group of Democratic state governors has announced plans to boycott the traditional White House dinner tied to the National Governors Association’s (NGA) annual meeting in Washington after President Donald Trump’s administration reportedly excluded key Democratic officials from the guest list.

The dispute has disrupted what has long been considered a bipartisan tradition that brings U.S. governors together with the president to foster cooperation across party lines.

Reports emerged that Trump had invited only Republican governors to a forthcoming business meeting at the White House timed to the NGA’s winter gathering later this month, prompting an outcry from Democratic leaders.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore, who serves as vice chair of the NGA and is the nation’s only Black governor, and Colorado Governor Jared Polis were among those reported to have been excluded from invitations to both the meeting and the accompanying dinner.

In a joint statement, eighteen Democratic governors said they would not attend the dinner if the reports were accurate, asserting that the event has historically been “a productive and bipartisan opportunity for collaboration” and decrying what they view as a partisan break from that legacy.

The statement, co-signed by governors including Kentucky’s Andy Beshear, Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer and California’s Gavin Newsom, emphasised their commitment to working across the aisle for the benefit of their states.

The National Governors Association confirmed that it would no longer host an official meeting between the president and governors at the Washington summit after the White House’s plans to restrict participation to Republicans.

NGA interim CEO Brandon Tatum described the development as disappointing and noted that it undermines an important tradition of bipartisan dialogue.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the president’s authority over the guest list, stating that invitations to events at the White House are at the president’s discretion and that those invited were welcome to attend.

The White House has not elaborated on the criteria used in determining which governors were invited.

The boycott highlights rising partisan tensions in federal-state relations and marks an unusual break in longstanding protocol for NGA gatherings.

With governors scheduled to convene from February nineteenth through the twenty-first, the dispute over inclusion has drawn attention to broader political divisions at a time when collaboration between state and federal leaders is widely viewed as vital for addressing national challenges.