THE NGA VERSUS A QUEENS MOBSTER

AS WIKIPEDIA DESCRIBES, “THE NATIONAL GOVERNORS’ ASSOCIATION is an American political organization founded in 1908. The association’s members are the governors of the 50 states, territories and commonwealths. Members come from across the political spectrum…. The NGA serves as a public policy liaison between state governments and the federal government.”

And as described at the NGA’s own website, “The United States of America is a remarkable tapestry woven from the diverse threads of unique states and territories, each contributing to the rich and intricate fabric of our collective identity. States and territories are where innovative ideas and policies are born, and successful policies become beacons of inspiration, demonstrating the power of local solutions to national challenges. America’s Governors are the architects of these policies and the custodians of our diverse and vibrant culture.”

Sharp-eyed readers will have noted the word “diverse,” indeed, twice. So maybe the following Trump arrogance comes as no surprise.

Guess Who’s Not Invited. The Associated Press recounts, “Annual Governors’ Gathering With White House Unravels After Trump Excludes Democrats,” Spectrum News 1, February 10, 2026: “The National Governors Association said it will no longer hold a formal meeting with Trump when governors are scheduled to convene in Washington later this month, after the White House planned to invite only Republican governors. On Tuesday, 18 Democratic governors also announced they would boycott a traditional dinner at the White House.”

And Who’s Not Invited to Dinner?  Tyler Pager describes in “Trump Is Hosting Governors at the White House, But Only Republicans,” The New York Times, February 6, 2026: “Mr. Trump is still planning to hold a separate, bipartisan dinner for governors and their spouses at the White House as part of the N.G.A. activities, but he personally blocked invites for two Democrats: Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland and Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado.”

“Mr. Trump has sparred with Mr. Polis in recent months,” Pager recalls, “particularly over the Colorado governor’s refusal to pardon Tina Peters, a convicted election denier and supporter of Mr. Trump’s. Last December, the president vetoed a pipeline project to provide clean drinking water to Colorado’s eastern plains, and he said Mr. Polis should ‘rot in Hell.’ ”

How very presidential.

Wes Moore, who currently serves as Vice Chair of the NGA, is the sole Black governor in the U.S. Jared Polis is gay and the first U.S. governor in a same-sex marriage.

Hmm….

Democrat Governors’ View. AP reporters Joey Cappelletti, Steve Peoples, and Steven Sloan write, “Annual Governors’ Gathering With White House Unravelling After Trump Excludes Democrats,” ABC News, February 10, 2026: “The National Governors Association said it will no longer hold a formal meeting with Trump when governors are scheduled to convene in Washington later this month, after the White House planned to invite only Republican governors. On Tuesday, 18 Democratic governors also announced they would boycott a traditional dinner at the White House.” 

An Asinine Response. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters, “It’s the ‘People’s House.’ It’s also the president’s home, and he can invite whomever he wants to dinners and events here at the White House.” 

Trump’s legal address is Mar-a-Largo, Palm Beach, Florida. See also “A New Year’s Letter to the President,” SimanaitisSays, January 1, 2026.  

Not the First Trump/NGA Encounter. The AP’s Cappelletti, Peoples, and Sloan recall, “Signs of partisan tensions emerged at the White House meeting last year, when Trump and Maine’s Gov. Janet Mills traded barbs. Trump singled out the Democratic governor over his push to bar transgender athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports, threatening to withhold federal funding from the state if she did not comply.”

A typical Queens Mobster extortion attempt.

“Mills responded, ‘We’ll see you in court.’ ”

An admirable response.

Trump then predicted that Mills’ political career would be over for opposing the order. She is now running for U.S. Senate.

And I trust Mainers will remember this confrontation. As well as the people of Maryland’s Gov. Moore, Colorado’s Gov. Polis and, come to think of it, voters of all the rest of our states, territories, and commonwealths. ds

© Dennis Simanaitis, SimanaitisSays.com, 2026