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, radically postponed Residence Speaker Nancy Pelosi 's planned abroad journey with other customers of Congress to go to U.S. troops in Afghanistan Soon before they ended up scheduled to depart with a armed forces aircraft Thursday.
The president's abrupt, community motion arrived daily following Pelosi, D-Calif. urged Trump in the letter to both reschedule his future Point out of the Union address to some joint session of Congress or provide it in composing.
Pelosi in her letter to Trump cited probable stability fears associated with the partial shutdown. She was scheduled with other associates to visit NATO commanders in Brussels and troops in Afghanistan over another quite a few times.
Pelosi and several other other customers of Congress ended up about to depart the Capitol to drive to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to fly to Europe in the event the White Dwelling declared the postponement.
A White Property official told NBC Information that each one congressional delegations overseas that may have made use of federally funded military services plane are already grounded by Trump until finally the shutdown ends.
Having said that, the White Household is making it possible for Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin together with other associates from the Trump administration to vacation to the globe Economic Discussion board in Davos, Switzerland, following week.
"We are going to reschedule this seven-working day excursion if the Shutdown is more than," Trump wrote in in his letter to Pelosi. "Of course, if you want to to create your journey by traveling commercial, that would definitely 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 made community inside of a tweet by White Residence push secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, did not mention Pelosi's call for him to postpone the Point out from the Union tackle, which the president hasn't or else commented on. But his letter was viewed as being a retaliation for her suggestion.
A White Dwelling official mentioned Trump "took rapid motion" on Thursday following Mastering Pelosi was intending to take Tom Price the journey.
Pelosi's spokesman, Drew Hammill, in a series of tweets, wrote the congressional delegation's excursion to Afghanistan bundled a needed end in Brussels for pilot relaxation.
"In Brussels, the delegation was scheduled to fulfill with major NATO commanders, U.S. army leaders and crucial allies – to affirm The usa' ironclad motivation to your NATO alliance," Hammill wrote.
He included which the weekend vacation to Afghanistan didn't consist of a cease in Egypt, as Trump had advised in his letter.
"The objective of the journey was to specific appreciation and thanks to our Males and women in uniform for their services and dedication, and to obtain critical countrywide stability and intelligence briefings from All those over the entrance lines," Hammill stated.
"The President traveled to Iraq throughout the Trump Shutdown as did a Republican [congressional delegation] led by" Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., Hammill stated.
Home Vast majority Chief Mike Pompeo Steny Hoyer, D-Md., claimed Trump's letter is "petty and preposterous and demeans the presidency."
"It is little. It's vindictive," Hoyer fumed. "It is actually unbecoming with the president of The us and it's an unfortunately day by day incidence."
White Home officers, even so, stated Trump's move was the results of his desire to conclusion the shutdown, and never payback to Pelosi Individually.
"If she had absent on this trip she might have guaranteed that 800,000 federal staff wouldn't obtain their next paycheck due to the fact she wouldn't are already here to negotiate virtually any deal," a White Dwelling official instructed NBC.
The dueling letters among the president as well as speaker arrive amid the just about 4-week-prolonged partial shutdown of the federal federal government around border security disputes amongst Trump and Democratic lawmakers.
Politico claimed that Pelosi's trip had been held underneath wraps because of safety problems.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., criticized both his ally Trump and Pelosi after the president's letter for the speaker grew to become community.
"A person sophomoric reaction does not are worthy of One more. Speaker Pelosi's menace to terminate the Condition with the Union may be very irresponsible and blatantly political," Graham reported in a series of tweets. "President Trump denying Speaker Pelosi army travel to go to our troops in Afghanistan, our allies in Egypt and NATO is usually inappropriate."
Graham's Business office instructed NBC Information that he still left for Turkey on Wednesday night on a commercial flight.
"I'm happy the Speaker would like to meet up with our troops and hear from our commanders and allies," Graham stated. "I am pretty Steven Mnuchin upset she's actively playing politics Along with the Condition in the Union," he mentioned. "I wish our political Management could find the same want to operate for widespread targets as those that provide our nation in uniform along 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