Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt told NPR he wants Republicans to “get back to integrity” after the Trump era, criticizing abrupt policy reversals and questioning the scope of immigration enforcement while emphasizing bipartisan engagement as chair of the National Governors Association.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt spoke with NPR’s Steve Inskeep on the sidelines of the National Governors Association’s winter meeting in Washington, D.C., describing what he said should be a post-Trump direction for the Republican Party and outlining areas where he has differed with President Donald Trump.
Stitt’s comments came as Trump remains popular in Oklahoma. In the 2024 presidential election, Trump carried the state with about 66% of the vote.
“Get back to integrity” and a warning about policy whiplash
Stitt said the Republican Party needs to “get back to integrity,” and argued that frequent reversals between administrations create damaging “pendulum swings” for businesses and communities.
As an example, Stitt pointed to the Trump administration’s decision to halt work on the Revolution Wind offshore wind project near Rhode Island. He said the project had been under development for years, had obtained permits and was close to completion when it was stopped, calling the move “un-American.”
In mid-January, a federal judge issued an order allowing construction to continue while broader legal challenges proceed.
Questions about immigration raids and the “endgame”
On immigration enforcement, Stitt questioned federal raids in Minnesota, saying actions that involve deployment across state lines without a receiving governor’s consent raise concerns about states’ rights.
“The president needs to tell us what’s the endgame,” Stitt said, adding that he does not believe Americans want a blanket effort to deport every person in the country without legal status.
Stitt advocated work visas for people without legal status who are currently employed, and said states should have a larger role in immigration policy and enforcement.
Tensions over a bipartisan governors’ meeting at the White House
Stitt’s role as chair of the bipartisan National Governors Association has put him at the center of a dispute over White House invitations during the NGA gathering. The White House initially moved to limit a traditional meeting with governors to Republicans, prompting the NGA to remove the event from its official schedule.
Stitt said he would not facilitate an NGA event that excluded governors from one party, saying he represents all of the nation’s governors through the association.
After pushback, the White House said governors from both parties would be invited to the meeting. However, two Democratic governors—Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis—said their invitations to a separate White House dinner were rescinded, and Trump publicly criticized Stitt in a social media post tied to the dispute.
Cherokee citizenship and ongoing disputes over jurisdiction
Stitt, who is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, also discussed his heritage and his clashes with tribal leaders over jurisdiction and state authority in eastern Oklahoma.
Those disputes intensified after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2020 decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma, which affirmed that much of eastern Oklahoma remains Indian Country for purposes of federal criminal law.
In November 2025, the Chickasaw Nation, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and Cherokee Nation filed a federal lawsuit naming Stitt and other state officials, challenging the state’s approach to wildlife law enforcement and prosecution on tribal lands.
Stitt said the United States’ diversity is a strength and argued that the Republican Party should broaden its appeal by focusing on core conservative themes such as limited federal power and giving states greater authority.
