Trump Launches Scathing Attack on 'Mediocre' Republican Governor in White House Invitation Dispute
Former President Donald Trump has unleashed a fierce public assault on Republican Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, labelling him as "mediocre" amidst an escalating controversy surrounding invitations to an upcoming White House governors' dinner. The extraordinary spat centres on reported decisions to exclude certain Democratic governors from traditionally bipartisan events gathering state leaders in Washington, D.C.
Truth Social Tirade Targets NGA Chair
In a series of incendiary Truth Social posts on Wednesday afternoon, Trump vehemently disputed claims that his administration had barred Democrats from the National Governors Association annual gathering. "The invitations were sent to ALL Governors, other than two, who I feel are not worthy of being there," the former president declared regarding the scheduled meeting and dinner at the White House.
Trump specifically noted that he had extended invitations to Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, whom he described as a "SLOB," and California Governor Gavin Newsom, despite what he characterised as their "terrible" performance. "So, as usual with him, Stitt got it WRONG!" Trump asserted, directly contradicting the Oklahoma governor's understanding of the invitation process.
Two Governors Deemed 'Unworthy' of Attendance
The former president confirmed he had only excluded Colorado Governor Jared Polis and Maryland Governor Wes Moore from the prestigious events. Trump attacked Polis over the ongoing prison sentence of a former clerk who attempted to undermine the 2020 election results. Regarding Moore, Trump claimed the Maryland leader was "foul mouthed" and had lied about his military record while allowing Baltimore to deteriorate into what he termed a "Crime Disaster."
Governor Moore has previously addressed the military record controversy, describing an incident where he listed himself as a Bronze Star winner on a fellowship application as an "honest mistake" when he had merely been recommended for the award at the time.
White House Defends Presidential Prerogative
A White House official earlier defended the selective invitation process, telling USA Today that "Many Democrats were invited to dinner at the White House, and others were not." The official emphasised that "These are White House events and the President reserves the right to invite whomever he wants."
Shortly before Trump's social media outburst, Governor Stitt had communicated with fellow governors about the upcoming Washington events. In a message obtained by The Independent, Stitt stated that Trump was "inviting all governors of the 55 States and territories" to a business breakfast on February 20, adding that "President Trump said this was always his intention, and we have addressed the misunderstanding in scheduling."
Initial Exclusion Prompted Boycott Threats
Previously, the National Governors Association had indicated the administration planned to make the White House meeting Republicans-only, while Governor Moore claimed he had been "uninvited" from the associated dinner. Moore suggested his exclusion carried particular significance given his status as the nation's only sitting Black governor.
The apparent snubs initially prompted the NGA to announce it would no longer facilitate the meeting, while more than a dozen Democratic governors declared they would boycott the dinner event. However, NGA CEO Dr. Brandon Tatum later issued a statement saying, "We're pleased the president will welcome governors from all 55 states and territories to the White House." He described the bipartisan gathering as "a valued tradition and an important opportunity to build bridges and hold constructive conversations."
History of Tension Between Trump and Stitt
This is not the first confrontation between Trump and the Oklahoma governor. Stitt, who leaves office in 2027 due to term limits, previously criticised the Trump administration's practice of deploying out-of-state National Guard troops as part of law enforcement crackdowns in states like Illinois.
"We believe in the federalist system — that's states' rights," Stitt told The New York Times. "Oklahomans would lose their mind if Pritzker in Illinois sent troops down to Oklahoma during the Biden administration." This historical context adds further dimension to the current very public disagreement between the former president and the Republican governor who chairs the National Governors Association.
