Democratic Gov. Wes Moore said President Donald Trump blocked him from speaking at a Tuesday event near Baltimore meant to unveil a new multi-billion-dollar investment in submarine manufacturing.
A White House official did not dispute the account.
Moore played a role in negotiating the deal, which involved bringing the defense tech firm Anduril to a former steel plant on the Patapsco River to make components for Virginia-class submarines. The Navy is awarding the firm a $2.9 billion contract.
Trump is planning to visit the facility and give a speech on the investment Tuesday afternoon. But Moore and other Maryland Democrats won’t be in attendance after the administration blocked the governor from speaking.
“If the president of the United States wants to bring the circus in town and tell me that I’m not allowed to speak, despite the fact we were the ones that helped bring the deal, then I will let the circus be conducted while I go back to the work of the people of Maryland,” Moore told reporters Tuesday.
A White House official said Trump had “graciously” invited Moore to the unveiling event, but only as a guest.
“It’s unfortunate that the Governor is now making a multi-billion dollar announcement about himself by throwing a tantrum over a federal initiative that will bring sorely needed jobs back to his state thanks to President Trump,” the official said.
A spokesman for Moore said the governor “has always said he will work with anyone when it comes to delivering for Marylanders but bow to no one when it comes to standing up for them.”
“The Governor is proud to welcome Anduril to Baltimore County and the thousands of permanent jobs this investment is bringing to our state,” the spokesman said.
Speaking in the pre-program ahead of Trump’s remarks, co-founder and CEO of Anduril Industries Brian Schimpf thanked several people who helped make the announcement possible, including Moore, Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Baltimore County Executive Kathy Klausmeier.
“Gov. Moore, County Executive Klausmeier, the federal congressional delegation, as well as state and local leaders throughout Maryland have all moved with urgency to help bring industrial investment at this scale to Baltimore County,” Schimpf said. “They’ve also worked closely with us across the many requirements necessary to make this investment come to fruition.”
Trump and Moore have had an acrimonious history — the president tried to bar the Democrat from a governors dinner at the White House last year. Moore is considered a potential 2028 presidential candidate.
This story has been updated with additional developments.