Trump grounds Pelosi's trip

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https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/17/stocks- ... -more.html

Trump stops House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to visit troops in Afghanistan right before military plane was due to take offPresident Donald

GP: President Donald J. Trump Nancy Pelosi Government Shutdown
President Donald J. Trump debates with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., as Vice President Mike Pence listens during a meeting in the Oval Office of White House on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018 in Washington, DC.
Jabin Botsford | The Washington Post | Getty Images
President Donald Trump, citing the government shutdown, dramatically postponed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ’s planned overseas trip with other members of Congress to visit U.S. troops in Afghanistan shortly before they were scheduled to depart on a military plane Thursday.

The president’s abrupt, public action came a day after Pelosi, D-Calif. urged Trump in a letter to either reschedule his upcoming State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress or deliver it in writing.

Pelosi in her letter to Trump cited potential security concerns related to the partial shutdown. She was scheduled with other members to visit NATO commanders in Brussels and troops in Afghanistan over the next several days.

Pelosi and several other members of Congress were about to depart the Capitol to drive to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to fly to Europe when the White House announced the postponement.

A White House official told NBC News that all congressional delegations overseas that would have used federally funded military aircraft have been grounded by Trump until the shutdown ends.

However, the White House is allowing Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and other members of the Trump administration to travel to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, next week.

“We will reschedule this seven-day excursion when the Shutdown is over,” Trump wrote in in his letter to Pelosi. “Obviously, if you would like to make your journey by flying commercial, that would certainly be your prerogative.”

Trump’s letter, which was made public in a tweet by White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, did not mention Pelosi’s call for him to postpone the State of the Union address, which the president has not otherwise commented on. But his letter was seen as a retaliation for her suggestion.

A White House official said Trump “took immediate action” on Thursday after learning Pelosi was planning to take the trip.

Pelosi’s spokesman, Drew Hammill, in a series of tweets, wrote that the congressional delegation’s trip to Afghanistan included a required stop in Brussels for pilot rest.

“In Brussels, the delegation was scheduled to meet with top NATO commanders, U.S. military leaders and key allies – to affirm the United States’ ironclad commitment to the NATO alliance,” Hammill wrote.

He added that the weekend trip to Afghanistan did not include a stop in Egypt, as Trump had suggested in his letter.



Pelosi calls on Trump to reschedule State of Union address
“The purpose of the trip was to express appreciation and thanks to our men and women in uniform for their service and dedication, and to obtain critical national security and intelligence briefings from those on the front lines,” Hammill said.

“The President traveled to Iraq during the Trump Shutdown as did a Republican [congressional delegation] led by” Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., Hammill said.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said Trump’s letter is “petty and ridiculous and demeans the presidency.”

“It’s small. It’s vindictive,” Hoyer fumed. “It is unbecoming of the president of the United States and it is an unfortunately daily occurrence.”

White House officials, however, said Trump’s move was the result of his desire to end the shutdown, and not payback to Pelosi personally.

“If she had gone on this trip she would have guaranteed that 800,000 federal workers would not receive their second paycheck because she would not have been here to negotiate any kind of deal,” a White House official told NBC.

The dueling letters between the president and the speaker come amid the nearly four-week-long partial shutdown of the federal government over border security disputes between Trump and Democratic lawmakers.

Politico reported that Pelosi’s trip had been kept under wraps due to security concerns.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., criticized both his ally Trump and Pelosi after the president’s letter to the speaker became public.

“One sophomoric response does not deserve another. Speaker Pelosi’s threat to cancel the State of the Union is very irresponsible and blatantly political,” Graham said 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 also inappropriate.”

Graham’s office told NBC News that he left for Turkey on Wednesday night on a commercial flight.

“I am glad the Speaker wants to meet our troops and hear from our commanders and allies,” Graham said. “I am very disappointed she’s playing politics with the State of the Union,” he said. “I wish our political leadership could find the same desire to work for common goals as those who serve our nation in uniform and other capacities.”

[lakelandman]

HAHAHAHA!!!

[Clyde621]

You want let me borrow your house, I’m going to take my plane away. I know it’s not exactly proper behavior but it’s damn funny. Trump the king of counter punchers.

[lakelandman]

[Chinerd00]

[Tenzing_Norgay]

If Trump were smart, he would've allowed the flight and delivered a suitcase of $$$ + parachute to the pilot.

"Here you go...now before landing in Egypt (wink, wink), be sure to fly low/slow over Syria for an hour or so... "

[wcontratto]

He should also stop her use of a USAF VIP plane to go home every weekend.

She should stay in DC until the .gov reopens.

[George W]

I am quite sure the troops were disappointed that she couldn't come pay them a visit. She is extremely loved, with only Hillary holding a warmer place in their hearts.......Ok, that hurt to write. The people I know there feel like they dodged a bullet in that they weren't going to be voluntold to do a meet and greet with her.

[Gregg]

I am quite sure the troops were disappointed that she couldn't come pay them a visit. She is extremely loved, with only Hillary holding a warmer place in their hearts.......Ok, that hurt to write. The people I know there feel like they dodged a bullet in that they weren't going to be voluntold to do a meet and greet with her.

George;

"Voluntold", you sound like ex-military

[George W]

I am quite sure the troops were disappointed that she couldn't come pay them a visit. She is extremely loved, with only Hillary holding a warmer place in their hearts.......Ok, that hurt to write. The people I know there feel like they dodged a bullet in that they weren't going to be voluntold to do a meet and greet with her.

George;

"Voluntold", you sound like ex-military

I am.
Mandatory fun days, CFC contributions, and "optional" unit parties were always a lot of fun.