Gov. Wes Moore On Trump: 'i Pray For Him And I Just Feel Bad For Him'

WASHINGTON — President Trump can’t look to extremity talking astir Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.

He refused to induce him to a White House meal later this week pinch authorities leaders from some parties, saying he was “not worthy” of nan event. And he has castigated Moore for a sewage spill that has spoiled nan Potomac River, moreover though nan faulty tube is portion of a federally regulated utility.

There could soon beryllium much reasons for Trump to kick astir Moore, nan nation’s only Black politician presently successful office. Moore is trying to redraw Maryland’s legislature representation to boost Democrats, portion of a nationwide redistricting conflict that Trump started to thief Republicans successful nan midterm elections.

If Moore tin flooded guidance from a cardinal personnel of his ain statement successful nan authorities legislature, nan tide could proceed to displacement successful Democrats’ favor.

Moore, who is often floated arsenic a imaginable Democratic statesmanlike candidate, is nan vice chair of nan National Governors Association, which is gathering successful Washington this week for its yearly conference. He sat down pinch The Associated Press connected Wednesday astatine nan commencement of his visit. Here is simply a transcript of nan interview, edited for magnitude and clarity.

Redistricting

Q: You met pinch Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries to talk astir redistricting. Can you show maine what your knowing was leaving that gathering and whether location will beryllium an up and down ballot successful nan Maryland legislature?

A: All we’re asking for is simply a vote. And nevertheless nan ballot goes, nevertheless nan ballot goes. But that’s democracy.

Q: What do you spot arsenic your domiciled successful nan party?

A: I don’t look astatine it arsenic I’m doing it because I’m trying to thief a statement per se. I’m doing it because I deliberation we person an unchecked executive and correct now Congress does not look willing successful really doing its occupation and establishing existent checks and balances.

And I’m watching what Donald Trump is doing. This would not beryllium an rumor had it not been for Donald Trump saying, you cognize what, fto maine travel up pinch each imaginative measurement I tin deliberation of to make this symptom permanent. And 1 of nan ways he did was he said, let’s conscionable commencement calling states — nan states I take — to opportunity let’s person a redistricting speech mid-decade.

This would not moreover beryllium an rumor had Donald Trump not brought this up and introduced this into nan ecosystem.

Trump relationship

Q: Speaking of nan president, do you person thoughts connected why he’s been stepping up his disapproval of you connected everything from not inviting you to nan meal to his disapproval of nan Potomac River sewage spill?

A: This 1 would really beryllium comical if it weren’t truthful serious. This is simply a Washington, D.C., tube that exists connected national land. How this has thing to do pinch Maryland, I person nary idea. I deliberation he conscionable woke up and conscionable said, I dislike Maryland truthful I’m conscionable going to present them into a conversation. This virtually has thing to do pinch us, pinch nan objection of nan truth that erstwhile we first heard astir what happened, that I ordered our squad to assistance Washington, D.C.

The short reply is I don’t know. I cannot get into nan president’s psyche.

Q: Do you deliberation it’s personal?

A: I cognize it’s not for me. I person nary desire to person beef pinch nan president of nan United States. I didn’t tally for politician like, man, I can’t hold truthful maine and nan president tin spell toed to toe. I person nary desire connected that. But nan truth that he is waking up successful nan mediate of nan nighttime and tweeting astir me, I just, I believe for him and I conscionable consciousness bad for him because that has conscionable sewage to beryllium a really, really difficult existence.

Trump and Black History Month

Q: The White House is holding an arena correct now commemorating Black History Month. Could you stock your thoughts connected nan president’s narration pinch nan Black community?

A: Listen, I deliberation nan president has agelong had a very analyzable history pinch nan Black community. We’re talking astir a personification who has been sued from his earliest days from his curen of Black tenants. We’re talking astir a personification who is 1 of nan originators of birtherism. We’re talking astir a personification who has now spent his clip trying to prohibition books astir Black history, a personification who has spent his clip now doing nan top battle connected unemployment of Black women successful our nation’s history. You know, so, I’m not judge what anyone is going to summation from an arena by Donald Trump astir Black history.

2028

Q: Do you deliberation nan adjacent statesmanlike nominee connected some sides mightiness travel from this group of governors?

A: I spot nan governors arsenic successful galore ways nan last statement of defense because I deliberation it’s ne'er mattered much who your politician is.

Q: The state is truthful polarized. How do we break nan fever?

A: You enactment accordant pinch who you are. I deliberation if you’re a polarizing personification aliases polarizing personality, past that’s conscionable who you are. That’s conscionable ne'er been me.

Cappelletti and Sloan constitute for nan Associated Press.