Trump Cancels Pelosi-led Trip to Afghanistan, Brussels

Trump Cancels Pelosi-led Trip to Afghanistan, Brussels

January 17, 2019, 7:09 PM

Trump Cancels Pelosi-led Trip to Afghanistan, Brussels

An Air Force bus waits on the Capitol plaza after President Donald Trump used his executive power to deny military aircraft to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi just before she was depart to visit troops abroad, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 17, 2019.
An Air Force bus waits on the Capitol plaza after President Donald Trump used his executive power to deny military aircraft to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi just before she was depart to visit troops abroad, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 17, 2019.

CAPITOL HILL / WASHINGTON —

U.S. President Donald Trump forced House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to cancel a planned trip to Afghanistan and Brussels on Thursday, the latest maneuver in a bitter political battle over the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

In a letter to the speaker of the House, Trump denied Pelosi and members of Congress the use of a military plane to meet with NATO allies in Brussels and U.S. troops in Afghanistan, writing "in light of the 800,000 great American workers not receiving pay, I am sure you would agree that postponing this public relations event is totally appropriate."

FILE - House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Vice President Mike Pence, President Donald Trump, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., meet in the Oval Office of the White House, Dec. 11, 2018.
FILE – House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Vice President Mike Pence, President Donald Trump, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., meet in the Oval Office of the White House, Dec. 11, 2018.

A spokesperson for Pelosi's office said the trip would have provided "critical national security and intelligence briefings," as well as serving as an opportunity for Pelosi to thank the troops.

The president's letter did not directly address Pelosi's call Wednesday for Trump to delay his scheduled Jan. 29 State of the Union address until government funding is restored and the shutdown ends.

"This is completely inappropriate by the president," House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff told reporters outside Pelosi's office. "We're not going to allow the president of the United States to tell the Congress it can't fulfill its oversight responsibilities."

FILE - Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., takes questions from reporters at the Capitol in Washington, May 10, 2018.
FILE – Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., takes questions from reporters at the Capitol in Washington, May 10, 2018.

The back-and-forth between the White House and the speaker of the House meant there is no end in sight for a partial federal government shutdown, which will soon enter its fifth week. The shutdown was triggered by a standoff between Democrats and Republicans over funding for construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

"While many Democrats in the House and Senate would like to make a deal, Speaker Pelosi won't let them negotiate," Trump said in a speech at the Defense Department. "Hopefully, Democrat lawmakers will step forward to do what is right for our country, and what's right for our country is border security at the strongest level."

Criticism for Trump

Democrats insist they will negotiate stronger, more effective border security measures once the government reopens, but that a border wall would be wasteful, ineffective and a blight on America's image.

Pelosi, the top-ranking congressional Democrat, said Trump's "insistence on the wall is a luxury we can no longer afford."

Hundreds of thousands of federal workers missed a paycheck last week and are set to miss another next week.

"Not only are these workers not paid, they are not appreciated by this administration," said Pelosi, who leads the Democratic majority in the House of Representatives. "We should respect what they do for their country."

Criticism for Pelosi

Pelosi's move on the State of the Union address drew sharp criticism from Senate Republicans.

"By disinviting POTUS for SOTU, Pelosi erased any pretext for her unwillingness to negotiate an end to the shutdown. It is personal, petty, and vindictive," Sen. John Cornyn from Texas tweeted Thursday.

While many Democratic lawmakers applauded Pelosi, Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia told MSNBC, "I think this [delaying the State of the Union address] is the wrong approach to be taking. … We should try to have every type of respectful dialogue that we possibly can. Where I come from in West Virginia, we just don't act this way."

FILE - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) talks to reporters on Capitol Hill, Jan. 19, 2018.
FILE – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) talks to reporters on Capitol Hill, Jan. 19, 2018.

Lawmakers of both parties are wary of the shutdown's impact on their home states and constituencies. Georgia Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper he fears a lack of Transportation Security Administration airport screeners will make it impossible for travelers to come for next month's American football Super Bowl.

"We've got a Super Bowl coming to Atlanta in about three weeks, the biggest tourism event in the world this year," Isakson said. "What if the largest airport in the world, that's going to bring people to the largest football game in the world, goes out of business because the TSA strikes? Then you've just cost millions of dollars to the United States of America, my home city of Atlanta and others."

Trump has called for more than $5 billion in taxpayer funding for the wall, while Democrats have offered $1.3 billion in new money for border security, but none specifically for a wall.

VOA's Michael Bowman and Ken Bredemeier contributed to this report.

Original Article

CATCH THE AMERICAN SUNRISE SHOW M-F AT 8AM ET.

WATCH THE LATEST EDITION OF WAR ROOM WITH STEVE BANNON

CATCH THE LATEST STEVE GRUBER SHOW

WATCH THE LATEST EDITION OF SECURING AMERICA WITH FRANK GAFFNEY

WATCH RAV'S SPECIAL REPORT M-5 AT 4PM ET.

CATCH THE LATEST AMERICA'S VOICE LIVE SHOW

WATCH THE LATEST COWBOY LOGIC BARN PARTY SHOW

CATCH THE LATEST BREAKING POINT SHOW WITH DAVID ZERE

WATCH RAV'S ELECTION NIGHT 2024 LIVE COVERAGE

WATCH ON RUMBLE WATCH ON GETTR

AMERICA'S VOICE LIVE - ELECTION DAY

JOIN US IN LIVE CHAT 24/7 ON RUMBLE

JOIN US ON OUR 24/7 LIVE RUMBLE STREAM