Trump admin blocks Democratic Gov. Wes Moore from speaking at Maryland shipbuilding event

Brendan McDermid/Reuters/FILE

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.

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.

布伦丹·麦克德米德/路透社/文件

民主党州长韦斯·摩尔表示，唐纳德·特朗普总统阻止他在周二巴尔的摩附近的一个活动上发表讲话，该活动旨在公布一项数十亿美元的潜艇制造新投资。

白宫官员并未对该说法提出异议。

摩尔参与了这项交易的谈判，该交易涉及将国防科技公司安杜里尔（Anduril）引入帕塔普斯科河畔一家前钢铁厂，为弗吉尼亚级潜艇生产零部件。海军将授予该公司一份价值29亿美元的合同。

特朗普计划周二下午参观该设施并就这项投资发表讲话。但由于特朗普政府阻止了州长发表讲话，摩尔和其他马里兰州民主党人将不会出席。

“如果美国总统想把这场闹剧带到我们这里，并告诉我我不被允许发言，尽管是我们帮助促成了这项协议，那么我就让这场闹剧继续下去，而我则回去继续为马里兰州人民工作，”摩尔周二告诉记者。

一位白宫官员表示，特朗普“热情地”邀请摩尔参加揭幕仪式，但只是作为嘉宾。

“令人遗憾的是，州长现在却因为一项联邦计划而大发脾气，这项计划将为他的州带来急需的工作岗位，这都要感谢特朗普总统，”这位官员说道。

摩尔的一位发言人表示，州长“一直表示，在为马里兰州人民谋福利方面，他会与任何人合作，但在维护他们利益方面，他绝不会向任何人低头。”

发言人表示：“州长非常高兴地欢迎安杜里尔公司落户巴尔的摩县，并欢迎这项投资为我们州带来数千个永久性就业岗位。”

特朗普和摩尔之间曾有过一段不愉快的历史——去年，特朗普曾试图阻止这位民主党人参加在白宫举行的州长晚宴。摩尔被认为是2028年总统大选的潜在候选人。