Wes Moore Second Guesses Trump After Governor’s Meeting

by Sharelle Burt

February 25, 2025

Moore plans to push his office to counter Trump after hearing “personal grievances.”

After spending several days in meetings with the nation’s governors, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) no longer feels he will be able to work with the Trump-Vance administration in the capacity he once hoped, the Baltimore Banner reported.

Moore opened up about his experience in Washington, D.C., and said he left feeling unsure about the relationships between the current administration and state leaders. “I come back from Washington with no illusion about what kind of partnership that this administration is trying to forge with our nation’s governors,” the Democratic governor said. 

After witnessing President Donald Trump threaten to withhold federal funding from Maine’s governor, Janet Mills, for failing to comply with executive orders regarding trans athletes, Moore said instead of working with them, he plans to push his office to counter Trump and put pressure on Maryland’s lawmakers, including Attorney General Anthony Brown, to do the same. He wants them to take it seriously and to “move appropriately,” as Moore feels there is a crisis brewing. “If this first month is any indication of where things are going, we as lawmakers had better take this moment seriously,” Moore continued. 

“If things come across our bow that are either illegal or unconstitutional, there will be a legal response from the state of Maryland.” 

While Moore admitted to not having any one-on-one time with the 47th President, he mentioned Trump giving an hour-long speech during a luncheon where a number of back-and-forth rhetoric took place. What he noticed was how Trump failed to mention any plans to help the American people — like lowering the cost of eggs and other groceries, making prescription medication more affordable, or cutting taxes for lower-class families. 

He said instead, what he heard were “grievances, personal grievances.”

“I heard a person stand there and say that I won the election. I’m now a three-time elected president of the United States. That’s not helping anybody. It’s definitely not helping any Maryland families right now,” the governor said, according to Maryland Matters. 

“This was the first time that the new president had a chance to be around … us and hopefully build that type of relationship. I think for all of us, we were not just deeply underwhelmed, but I think we were troubled.”

Fellow Maryland leaders shared similar thoughts about the way Trump has moved with only 35 days in the Oval Office. After Baltimore’s Mayor Brandon Scott announced he will continue with the city’s immigration policies, House Republicans claim Moore was adding fuel to the fire with his outspoken remarks. Senate Minority Leader Sen. Stephen S. Hershey Jr. (R-Upper Shore) said Moore has too much to lose by picking a fight with the indicted President. 

With Maryland being home to 160,000 federal employees, Moore is hoping to utilize federal funding to replace the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which was destroyed in 2024, in addition to building a new FBI headquarters in Greenbelt.

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