Pelosi's trip to Afghanistan had been a closely held secret due to security concerns, of course. Very few people knew she was heading there. @SteveScalise mentioned Pelosi was headed to Brussels in his presser this morning, which angered Dems.
— John Bresnahan (@BresPolitico) January 17, 2019
President Donald Trump, citing the government shutdown, dramatically postponed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi 's prepared overseas excursion with other members of Congress to visit U.S. troops in Afghanistan Soon ahead of they ended up scheduled to depart on a armed service plane Thursday.
The president's abrupt, community motion arrived per day after Pelosi, D-Calif. urged Trump in a very letter to either reschedule his forthcoming Condition from the Union tackle to the joint session of Congress or deliver it in creating.
Pelosi in her letter to Trump cited probable security considerations relevant to the partial shutdown. She was scheduled with other users to visit NATO commanders in Brussels and troops in Afghanistan more than the following quite a few times.
Pelosi and several other members of Congress have been about to depart the Capitol to push to Joint Foundation Andrews in Maryland to fly to Europe if the White Dwelling declared the postponement.
A White House Formal told NBC Information that every one congressional delegations abroad that may have made use of federally funded military plane have been grounded by Trump until the shutdown finishes.
However, the White House is permitting Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and also other associates in the Trump administration to travel to the planet Financial Discussion board in Davos, Switzerland, up coming week.
"We will reschedule this 7-day tour if the Shutdown is above," Trump wrote in in his letter to Pelosi. "Certainly, if you want to make your journey by traveling industrial, that will surely be your prerogative."
NEWS: Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.) shouted "Go back to Puerto Rico" on House floor.
— Sarah Ferris (@sarahnferris) January 17, 2019
Statement: "Congressman Smith’s comment was directed at all the Democrats who were vacationing down in Puerto Rico last weekend during the government shutdown, not towards any individual member."
Trump's letter, which was created public inside of a tweet by White Property press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, did not point out Pelosi's call for him to postpone the Point out in the Union address, which the president has not otherwise commented on. But his letter was viewed like a retaliation for her recommendation.
A White Home Formal stated Trump "took rapid action" on Thursday immediately after Studying Pelosi was intending to go ahead and take journey.
Pelosi's spokesman, Drew Hammill, inside of a series of tweets, wrote the congressional delegation's vacation to Afghanistan integrated a expected quit in Brussels for pilot rest.
"In Brussels, the delegation was scheduled to fulfill with top NATO commanders, U.S. navy leaders and key allies – to affirm The us' ironclad motivation into the NATO alliance," Hammill wrote.
He additional the weekend excursion to Afghanistan didn't include a cease in Egypt, as Trump had instructed in his letter.
"The purpose of the trip was to express appreciation and because of our Gentlemen and ladies in uniform for their company and perseverance, and to acquire critical countrywide stability and intelligence briefings from those within the entrance strains," Hammill reported.
"The President traveled to Iraq throughout the Trump Shutdown as did a Republican [congressional delegation] led by" Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., Hammill explained.
Property The vast majority Chief Steny Hoyer, D-Md., claimed Trump's letter is "petty and absurd and demeans the presidency."
"It is really compact. It is really vindictive," Hoyer fumed. "It is unbecoming of the president of the United States and it is actually an unfortunately day by day prevalence."
White Household officials, nonetheless, claimed Trump's go was the result of his want to close the shutdown, rather than payback to Pelosi personally.
"If she experienced absent on this trip she would've certain that 800,000 federal employees wouldn't obtain their second paycheck for the reason that she wouldn't happen to be here to barter any type of offer," a White Residence Formal instructed NBC.
The dueling letters among the president and also the speaker appear amid the practically 4-week-extensive partial shutdown on the federal authorities about border safety disputes concerning Trump and Democratic lawmakers.
Politico documented that Pelosi's vacation had been retained under wraps resulting from security problems.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., criticized the two his ally Trump and Pelosi once the president's letter towards the Andrew R. Wheeler speaker grew to become general public.
"A single sophomoric reaction would not are worthy of A further. Speaker Pelosi's threat to cancel the Condition of your Union is quite irresponsible and blatantly political," Graham claimed in a series of tweets. "President Trump denying Speaker Pelosi military travel to visit our troops in Afghanistan, our allies in Egypt and NATO is likewise inappropriate."
Graham's office informed NBC News that he left for Turkey on Wednesday evening on the business flight.
"I'm happy the Speaker would like to fulfill our troops and listen to from our commanders and allies," Graham reported. "I'm very disappointed she's playing politics With all the State in the Union," he mentioned. "I want our political leadership could find the exact same desire to work for typical objectives as those that serve our country in uniform together with other capacities."
So funny to watch Schumer groveling. He called for the firing of bad cop James Comey many times - UNTIL I FIRED HIM!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 17, 2019