The National Governors Association (NGA) will not conduct a formal meeting with President Donald Trump during its upcoming gathering in Washington, D.C., scheduled for February 19-21. This decision stems from the White House's plan to invite only Republican governors to the annual business meeting, as revealed in a letter written by Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, who serves as the chairman of the NGA. Stitt communicated to fellow governors that the NGA could not support an event that excluded a significant portion of state leaders, stating that the organization aims to represent all 55 governors in the United States.

Due to this exclusivity, the NGA will no longer facilitate the meeting and has removed it from its official agenda. The decision underscores the increasing partisan tensions that have recently surfaced within the association. The NGA is one of the few remaining platforms where political leaders from both major parties can convene to discuss various crucial issues affecting their states and constituents.

Past interactions between Trump and Democratic governors have highlighted underlying political divisions. At a meeting last year, for example, Trump engaged in a contentious exchange with then-Governor Janet Mills of Maine, specifically regarding a controversial order to limit transgender athletes' participation in girls' and women's sports. During that encounter, Trump threatened to withdraw federal funding if Mills did not comply with his directive, to which Mills defiantly responded, "We’ll see you in court." This confrontation had considerable ramifications, casting a shadow over last year's NGA conference and leading to a decrease in membership renewals from some Democratic governors within the bipartisan group.

As the NGA prepares for its February meeting, reactions from Stitt, the White House, and other NGA representatives have not yet been disclosed. The absence of a formal meeting with the President highlights the challenges posed by political polarization in contemporary governance, hindering opportunities for collaboration among state leaders.