Maryland Gov. Moore excluded from governors’ events at the White House

(CNN) 鈥� Every year, the nation鈥檚 governors convene in Washington, DC, for a friendly winter confab that includes a working meeting at the White House and a black-tie dinner hosted by the president.

This year, is adjusting the guest list for the long, bipartisan tradition. Democratic governors have been excluded from the business meeting, and two of those governors, of Maryland and of Colorado, were not invited to the dinner, according to a source familiar with the matter.

鈥淲e are disappointed in the administration鈥檚 decision to make it a partisan occasion this year,鈥� interim National Governors Association CEO Brandon Tatum said in a statement.

He added: 鈥淭o disinvite individual governors to the White House sessions undermines an important opportunity for federal-state collaboration.鈥�

The decision to exclude Democrats from the working session at the White House marks a break in tradition from presidents of both parties.

With Moore and Polis disinvited from the dinner, two Democratic officials said several governors were re-evaluating whether they planned to attend.

The Colorado and Maryland governors have both publicly tangled with and criticized Trump. But other Democrats who have openly quarreled with the administration, like of California and of Illinois, were extended invitations.

Pritzker was not expecting to go to the White House anyway, aides said, citing his ongoing clashes with Trump in the wake of immigration enforcement actions in his state last year.

Polis and Moore were not informed of their exclusion or given a reason by the White House, two sources familiar with the matter said.

A spokesperson for Polis called the exclusion a 鈥渄isappointing decision.鈥�

鈥淕ov. Polis has always been willing to work with anyone across the political spectrum who wants to help work on the hardest problems facing Colorado and America, regardless of party or who occupies the White House,鈥� spokesperson Shelby Wieman said in a statement.

The White House and the Democratic Governors Association did not immediately respond to CNN鈥檚 request for comment Friday night. CNN has reached out to Moore for comment.

The annual winter meeting of the nation鈥檚 governors 鈥� long a bipartisan event focused more on policy than politics 鈥� comes as tensions have been escalating between governors and their national association.

Illinois is among the states that have stopped paying their dues to the group, after it did not speak out against the Trump administration鈥檚 decision to send National Guard troops to the state last year without coordination with Pritzker.

鈥淭he protection of gubernatorial authority and state sovereignty must always be demanded, regardless of who is occupying the White House,鈥� a spokesman for Pritzker said. 鈥淕overnor Pritzker has been vocal that the National Governors Association as a whole should stand against the deployment of National Guard troops against a governor鈥檚 wishes.鈥�

Still, the association on Friday characterized the situation as a failure of executive branch leadership.

鈥淣GA will remain focused on serving all governors as they deliver solutions and model leadership for the American people. Traditionally the White House has played a role in fostering these moments during NGA鈥檚 annual meeting. This year, they will not,鈥� Tatum said in the statement.