Maryland Governor Wes Moore pushed back against President Donald Trump’s recent comments that he was “not worthy” to attend an annual White House dinner for governors, telling CBS News that the president “does not determine my worthiness.”
Moore spoke with CBS News senior correspondent Norah O’Donnell during a town hall Thursday, which is scheduled to air Sunday evening. He made clear that he would not attend any meeting that turns into “name-calling” and emphasized his independence from Trump’s approval. “If the point of the meeting is to turn it into name-calling … I will not go,” Moore said.
“I will work with anyone. But I will bow down to no one. And I think the president has a problem with that,” the governor added, underscoring his determination to maintain his autonomy as Maryland’s chief executive.
The comments come after President Trump announced on Truth Social that every U.S. governor would be invited to the National Governors Association’s annual conference next week — except for two Democrats. Moore and Colorado Governor Jared Polis were singled out as “not worthy of being there.” Trump also criticized Moore’s performance as governor, labeled him “foul-mouthed,” and questioned his military record, referencing a Bronze Star. Moore clarified that he had made an “honest mistake” on a White House fellowship application in 2006 but ultimately did receive a Bronze Star for his deployment to Afghanistan.
Responding to the snub, Moore stated, “I do want to be clear to the president — respectfully, you do not determine my worthiness. God determines my worthiness. The people of Maryland determine my worthiness. They are who I answer to. Not him.”
According to the National Governors Association and sources familiar with the matter, the Trump administration initially planned to exclude all Democratic governors from a formal business meeting at the White House next week. Moore and Polis were additionally told they were not invited to a separate dinner the following day. In response, most Democratic governors announced that they would boycott the events in solidarity.
A spokesperson for Polis said, “No matter what events Colorado is or isn’t invited to, Governor Polis will continue to focus on working with his fellow governors and anyone who wants to help make people’s lives better,” signaling a similar approach to Moore’s emphasis on governance over personal disputes.
The incident highlights the ongoing political tensions between President Trump and Democratic leaders, particularly those he views as outspoken critics. Despite the public snub, Moore stressed his commitment to collaboration and leadership without compromising his principles, affirming his role as an accountable representative of Marylanders rather than answering to the president.
For Moore, the episode appears less about exclusion from a social event and more about asserting his authority and independence as governor, reinforcing a broader message that leadership is determined by constituents and moral accountability, not partisan politics or personal attacks.
If you want, I can also write a short meta description for this revised version. Do you want me to do that?
