'Speaks Volumes': Kentucky Gov Boycotting White House Dinner After Trump Refuses to Invite Nation's Only Black Governor

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: MEDIAite

Feb 14th, 2026, 6:30 pm


Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) vowed Saturday that he will not attend the upcoming White House dinner for governor’s and their families because of President Donald Trump’s refusal to invite Gov. Jared Polis (D-CO) and Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD), who is the sole Black governor in the nation.

In a confusing turn of events, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) — who chairs the National Governors Association — claimed earlier this week that the president was only inviting Republican governors to the normally bipartisan meeting and dinner. Trump took to Truth Social to claim that Stitt got it all “WRONG,” and that he was not excluding all Democrats — only Polis and Moore were not invited to the dinner.

Trump wrote, “I did not invite the Governor of Colorado, who has unfairly incarcerated in solitary confinement a 73-year-old cancer stricken woman (A nine year term!), for attempting to fight Democrat Voter Fraud, plus the foul mouthed Governor of Maryland, who fraudulently stated that he received Military medals, A LIE, is doing a terrible job on the rebuilding of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, and has allowed Baltimore to continue to be a Crime Disaster.”

Moore has said he will skip the meeting altogether if he’s excluded from the dinner. Beshear told MS NOW’s Al Sharpton that he won’t attend the event either if his friend Moore is excluded. “Nearly everything that Trump touches, he destroys,” Beshear began. “He has taken a annual bipartisan tradition, and he’s turned it into his own 12-year-old birthday party, where he’s going to invite some people and not invite others. ‘Everybody but Billy is invited.'”

Read more: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/speaks-volumes-kentucky-gov-boycotting-white-house-dinner-after-trump-refuses-to-invite-nations-only-black-governor/

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As a note - there are 2 different White House "events" with this story - "a bipartisan meeting" and "a bipartisan dinner" (and the governors also meet with just themselves as part of their annual program).

[Vinca]

1. All of them should boycott it, but of course they won't.

[Magoo48]

3. Mayhaps,

all the dem govs, and any so moved Rs, might have a big potluck over at the uninvited dude’s place. You know, all casual and polite, sorta letting the inherent Fuck You to the orange cartoon-character speak for itself. Invite the press; interview some folks around the keg. Everyone having a good old time.

[Bluetus]

11. How can ANY Dem go under these circumstances. Remember this is TACO Trump

This is not a hard choice. Every last Dem Governor should make a very public statement today that this is unacceptable and we will not be party to any racism, and certainly nothing so nakedly racist as this.

And for that matter, even without the racism, it must be 100% unacceptable to EVERY Dem Governor to have any of them singled out for punishment, as is the case with Polis. Unacceptable every day of the week. Shove all of that up Trump's ass and watch the TACO show up.

This is not a hard decision. Anybody who needs more than about 30 seconds to consider this should resign and turn the job over to somebody with more backbone and more ability to think strategically.

[Bluetus]

12. Good for Shapiro. Now how about the rest of you?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/josh-shapiro-won-t-attend-any-events-with-trump-that-exclude-fellow-governors/ar-AA1WeiyN

[Bluetus]

13. WTF, Gov Kelly?

https://jcpost.com/posts/919696b3-053b-42f9-a1da-17abeea09a1f

[Bluetus]

14. Pritzker is on it.

https://www.aol.com/articles/pritzker-joins-chorus-dem-governors-123000773.html

[BumRushDaShow]

17. See this posted below this morning

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=3616567

[Bluetus]

18. The news reports are conflicting, probably because Trump keeps changing

At first, he apparently banned some unspecified Dems. There was strong pushback, and then he said he was only banning the black one and the gay one, as if that made it better. Dem Senators have variously made statements indicating they are boycotting. But it is unclear if that changes with the clarification that only blacks and gays are banned. Then some reports said the dinner is canceled entirely, which seems even shittier than before. That says "If you won't let be single out blacks and gays, then I don't even want to have the damn dinner."

What an asshole this guy is. He had his chance to correct himself. There should be no further discussion. The Governors should have their meeting and leave Trump out of it.

[BumRushDaShow]

19. The problem is the CONFLATING of *2 different events*

The National Governors Association has a winter conference going from 2/19 - 2/21/2026. When these types of conferences go on, they usually have multiple sessions of activities including keynote speakers and break-out sessions with smaller groups of individuals who might be on certain committees, and who would be discussing subject-matter stuff and maybe drafting policies.

The "winter conference" has traditionally been held in D.C. That allows the governors to pencil in slots to meet with whoever the current President is, both "formally" and "informally".

And apparently there is a "MEETING" (which I assume goes on during the day) and then a "DINNER" (which I assume is in the evening).

It was originally announced that the "MEETING" was GOP-only (no mention of the dinner at that point). The NGA initially balked at that exclusivity and removed that "MEETING" event from their official event calendar.

Then suddenly the "DINNER" was brought up with respect to "everyone but 2 Democrats". This is when the other Dems said, "we're done".

But MEANWHILE, TACO was sputtering about inviting ALL governors (including ALL Democrats), TO THE "MEETING" (and one article I had read indicated that both Moore & Polis got invites to "THE MEETING" ), but apparently TACO held fast about THE "DINNER" exclusions.

Haven't heard any updates since but since this conference doesn't start until Thursday, a lot can change between now and then.

I expect the NGA may put something together with the Congressional leadership and just ignore the Executive, where they will tell their members to do what they want otherwise on their own time, but it won't be "sanctioned" by the NGA.

[Bluetus]

20. Thasnks for the chronology. Bottom line, ...

This is all about Trump just being his usual asshole, racist, homophobe self. He continues to believe that is working for him.

[BumRushDaShow]

21. That's why most of the governors don't want to play games

as they have important work to do... and will attend to their conference and let the idiot's (cow) chips fall where they may (without them).

[Bluetus]

22. The Governors (from both parties) may have reached the point where they follow a different strategy

From 2010 through 2025, the strategy was to kiss Trump's ass, flatter him, and hope you are the last person to speak with him before a decision is made.

Now, I think most of them recognize:

* Trump is senile beyond any baseline level necessary to do the job
* Others are running things, pretty much full time
* You will probably have to sue the administration to get them to do the right thing, and litigants are winning > 95% of the time

So the new strategy may be to humor him when necessary, but to try to steer clear as much as possible, and try to keep Trump's low ratings from costing you the next election.

[70sEraVet]

2. Hat-tip to Andy Beshear, a true leader

I live just a few miles from Kentucky, yet, in terms of quantity of leadership, my Governor (Lee of TN) is LIGHT YEARS behind Beshear!

[Miguelito Loveless]

4. So, Beshear is the only Dem

doing the right thing? Typical.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. A number already came out to say they were boycotting last week

Democratic governors to boycott White House dinner

It's just that Beshear appeared on a show yesterday and that made the (recent) news! Plus Stitt sent a notice to 45 that the "meeting" (different from the "dinner" ) would not be on the official NGA schedule due to its stipulations of GOP only, although that has since changed as reports were that ALL (D) governors were given invites to that "meeting" (including Moore and Polis).


Below from here - https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=3614834



Keep up!!!

[Bengus81]

9. Go Kansas Dem Governor Laura Kelly!!!

Tell grandpa to fuck off..............

[paleotn]

8. .........

[twodogsbarking]

6. All three are welcome at my house. It will be more fun and better food.

[33taw]

15. Democratic voter fraud in Mesa County Colorado? They voted strong republican since 1948 - except

1964.

[AverageOldGuy]

7. Memo to Trump:

You say:

Trump wrote, “I did not invite the Governor of Colorado, who has unfairly incarcerated in solitary confinement a 73-year-old cancer stricken woman (A nine year term!), for attempting to fight Democrat Voter Fraud,

I respond: I hope she fucking dies in jail.

[Bayard]

10. "12-year-old birthday party,"

A very apt description.

Our governor has been amazing. I tremble to think of the next guy in office will destroy all of Gov. Beshear's good work.

[flvegan]

16. All you're really missing is a Filet o Fish and the smell of shit.

I'd boycott it just because the very sound of Dopey Donnie's voice makes me ill.