Gone: Trump Snubs Maryland’s Black Democratic Governor at White House Event

By Rob Redding

Editor & Publisher

NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2026, 11 p.m. — In a move that’s raising eyebrows across Washington, former President Donald Trump has once again broken with tradition by excluding Democratic governors from a key White House event.

The annual meeting of the National Governors Association is set for next week. But this year, only Republican governors received invitations. Maryland Governor Wes Moore, a Black rising star with White House ambitions, is among those disinvited.

Moore didn’t hold back and blasted the White House decision. He told NPR, “This message of disrespect of his own personal feelings of supremacy are things that are just deeply unneeded reminders of how unstable his leadership continues to be.”

Moore is also currently under scrutiny for his family’s history. He claims to be the grandson of someone who was run out of South Carolina by the Ku Klux Klan. But a recent report cast doubt on that story, suggesting the family’s departure was a routine transfer and not driven by racial intimidation. Moore’s past statements have referenced his great-grandfather as a minister who fled racial threats, but critics question the accuracy of those claims.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the move, stating, “It’s the people’s house. The president can invite whomever he wants.”

But Democrats are furious. Several invited Democratic leaders announced they will skip the dinner altogether. The National Governors Association said it won’t facilitate any events that exclude some governors.

Moore’s criticism echoes recent tensions, especially after Trump’s controversial posting of a racist meme of Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. The disinvite adds fuel to the fire, with critics accusing Trump of fueling division and disrespecting democratic norms.

While the White House insists it’s a matter of discretion, the move is widely seen as a signal of the deepening rift between Trump and Democratic leaders. As the event approaches, the political fallout is expected to grow.

Rob Redding is the author of No. 1 best selling book Black Power in the Age of Artificial Supremacy Featuring Redding-Shim Kwet Yung . He is the bestselling author of 18 books. He is the host of Redding News Review Unrestricted and creator of ReddingNewsReview.com. He is also an emerging visual artist who lives and teaches at two colleges in New York City.