GOP lawmakers say Gov. Janet Mills allowed political differences with President Donald Trump to cost Maine a valuable opportunity to promote its tourism industry on the national stage.
Republican lawmakers and volunteers stepped in to represent Maine at the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., after Gov. Janet Mills’ administration declined to operate the state’s official pavilion during the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration.
Senate Minority Leader Trey Stewart and State Rep. Reagan Paul criticized the decision, arguing that Maine missed a rare opportunity to promote its tourism industry, small businesses, outdoor recreation and coastal communities before a national audience.
“Maine is a tourism state,” Stewart said, describing the administration’s absence as a significant mistake and a missed opportunity to encourage future visitors.
Paul echoed that criticism, saying Maine should have taken advantage of the fair to showcase its culture, economy, history and natural beauty during the country’s semiquincentennial celebration.
The Great American State Fair opened June 25 on the National Mall and is scheduled to continue through July 10. The 16-day exposition is one of the centerpiece events surrounding America’s 250th anniversary.
Designed as a World’s Fair-style celebration, the event brought together state exhibits intended to highlight tourism, agriculture, history, culture, businesses and economic opportunities from across the country.
The fair stretches across the National Mall between the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument. It includes state pavilions, live entertainment, military performances, historical displays and exhibits focused on American workers, agriculture, innovation, faith, family and the arts.
Several Democratic-led states declined to send official delegations or operate their assigned booths. Republican lawmakers, private organizations and volunteers eventually stepped forward to represent some of those states.
In Maine’s case, Stewart, Paul and other volunteers helped ensure the state was not left completely unrepresented.
Wreaths Across America Radio also broadcast from the Maine pavilion, interviewing visitors from across the country about freedom, patriotism and the meaning of Independence Day.
Republicans said the situation should never have required a last-minute volunteer effort.
They argued that the Mills administration should have used the pavilion to promote Maine’s coastline, lakes, mountains, working waterfront, state parks, outdoor recreation, agricultural products, hospitality industry and locally owned businesses.
Tourism remains one of Maine’s most important economic engines, supporting hotels, restaurants, retail stores, campgrounds, guides, recreational businesses and thousands of seasonal and year-round jobs.
Stewart and Paul said that economic reality made the administration’s absence particularly difficult to understand.
Both lawmakers contended that politics should not have prevented Maine from participating in an event intended to celebrate the nation while giving states an opportunity to promote themselves.
They also suggested that Mills’ longstanding opposition to President Donald Trump influenced the decision not to send an official delegation.
A National Celebration With Maine Initially Missing
President Trump opened the fair as part of the broader Freedom 250 celebration and later returned to the National Mall for a nationally televised Independence Day address marking America’s 250th birthday.
The larger celebration included military flyovers, musical performances, historic American flags, veterans, Medal of Honor recipients and a major fireworks display.
Trump used the anniversary to praise American military victories, economic achievements and the founding principles of the United States.
The event faced significant operational challenges. Extreme heat, severe thunderstorms and lightning forced temporary evacuations and schedule changes on the National Mall.
Despite those disruptions, organizers continued the fair and reopened exhibits when conditions allowed.
Some Democratic governors cited expenses, staffing limitations or logistical concerns when explaining why their states did not operate official pavilions. Others raised concerns about the event’s political atmosphere and Trump’s prominent role in the celebration.
Republicans argued that refusing to participate did not hurt Trump. Instead, they said, it denied local businesses and tourism operators an opportunity to reach potential visitors.
Similar situations unfolded in other Democratic-led states, where lawmakers and private volunteers stepped in after governors declined to participate.
Stewart and Paul said Maine should not have needed Republicans and private citizens to rescue the state’s presence at a once-in-a-generation national event.
Years of Conflict Between Mills and Trump
Maine’s absence from the fair comes after years of political and personal conflict between Mills and Trump.
Their most prominent public confrontation occurred during a February 2025 meeting of governors at the White House.
Trump challenged Mills over Maine’s refusal to comply with his executive order prohibiting biological males from competing in girls’ and women’s sports.
The president warned that Maine could lose federal education funding if the state continued allowing transgender athletes to participate in female athletic competitions.
“Are you not going to comply with it?” Trump asked Mills during the televised exchange.
“I’m complying with state and federal law,” Mills responded.
Trump then warned that Maine would receive no federal funding if it refused to comply.
“See you in court,” Mills replied.
“I’ll see you in court,” Trump answered. “I look forward to that. That should be a real easy one. And enjoy your life after governor, because I don’t think you’ll be in elected politics.”
The confrontation elevated Mills’ national profile among Democrats opposed to Trump and led to months of legal and administrative disputes involving federal education funding and Maine’s athletic policies.
The clash was far from the first between the two officials.
During Trump’s first administration, Mills criticized his response to nationwide protests following the death of George Floyd.
During a 2020 conference call with governors, Mills warned that Trump’s planned visit to Maine could inflame tensions and create additional security concerns.
Trump later criticized Mills’ handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and accused her administration of harming Maine’s economy through business closures and public-health restrictions.
Mills responded by accusing Maine Republicans of embracing what she characterized as Trump-style political attacks on public-health measures.
Trump and Mills also repeatedly clashed over immigration.
During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump accused Mills of supporting policies that would bring large numbers of migrants into Maine and fundamentally change the state.
Mills rejected those claims and criticized Trump’s rhetoric.
Their disagreement intensified again in January 2026 when the Trump administration launched Operation Catch of the Day, a large-scale immigration enforcement effort in Maine.
Federal officials said the operation targeted criminal illegal immigrants and other public-safety threats.
Mills condemned the operation, demanded additional information about those being arrested and accused federal officials of spreading fear in Maine communities.
The operation resulted in more than 200 arrests before the large-scale deployment ended, although routine federal immigration enforcement continued.
Mills and the Trump administration have also battled over housing policies, food-assistance funding, education programs and other federal directives.
Maine has joined several multistate lawsuits challenging Trump administration policies.
Against that background, Stewart and Paul said it was reasonable to question whether Mills’ opposition to Trump played a role in the decision not to participate in the Great American State Fair.
The Mills administration has offered little public explanation for Maine’s absence.
For Republicans, however, the central issue was not whether Mills supports Trump.
It was whether Maine should sacrifice a valuable economic and tourism opportunity because its Democratic governor disagrees with the Republican president.
Stewart and Paul argued that Maine’s elected leaders should be able to separate partisan disputes from the state’s economic interests.
They said that principle is especially important when the state’s tourism operators, restaurants, retailers and small businesses depend on attracting visitors.
Regardless of who occupies the White House, they argued, Maine should take advantage of every reasonable opportunity to promote the state, support local employers and showcase the communities and industries that make Maine unique.
Instead, Republicans said, the Mills administration left Maine’s pavilion without an official state delegation until lawmakers, private organizations and volunteers stepped in to fill the void.
Mills an her ilk are a pitiful disgrace. Thanks to all who stepped up.
Thank you Reagan. Thank you for being a steward for the state of Maine. Thank you for such a great task, done well. 🫡🙏🏻
Mills is the most selfish, self-serving, governor to date. One administration ruined the whole state. How they all walk around in public like heros, blows my mind. 🤯
Libs are so full of hatred, that they would rather burn Maine to the ground than to credit President Trump with anything good.
So Maine democrats hate Trump more than they love Maine, sounds about right. Just remember this when they say they represent all Mainers, because they do not.
Arrogant and self-righteous Janet Mills has once again turned her back on “We the People” of Maine. How about her sidekick, Democrat gubernatorial candidate Heather Pingree, who undoubtedly can be expected to be Mills’ “third term.” Did Pingree show up at the State Fair? NO! Pingree is the “same old, same old JANET MILLS!
Yes .
Hanna Pingree would amount to Janet Miles THREE POINT ZERO .
IT WILL BE the final death of our state as we have known it .
We need to get out the vote like never before ,
NOBODY can stay home .
Boy, that’ll show ’em, eh Janet?
TDS at it’s finest. Mills letting her personal bias put Maine at a disadvantage in Washington, D.C..She, cannot be gone soon enough.
We cannot have another 4 years of liberal malfeasance & fraud. The state’s taxpaying citizens cannot afford it.
1st and foremost, thank you Trey Stewart and Reagan Paul. God Bless
Once again Mills shows us that she doesn’t give a flying rats a** about the state of Maine. It’s all about her.