Trump Delays Nancy Pelosi's Foreign Trips

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, informed Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, on Thursday that due to the partial government shutdown, she would not be able to use a military aircraft for an overseas trip. This comes after Pelosi asked Trump to postpone his annual State of the Union address due to security concerns related to the government shutdown. Tensions between the President and the Speaker have escalated as the shutdown entered its twenty-seventh day. According to Reuters, Pelosi and a congressional delegation were scheduled to travel by military aircraft to Brussels, Egypt, and then Afghanistan, where she intended to meet with American troops. In a letter, Trump stated, "Unfortunately, I must inform you that your trip to Brussels, Egypt, and Afghanistan has been postponed." He added, "Once the government shutdown is over, we will plan for this seven-day trip." Trump mentioned that given that 800,000 American employees are not receiving paychecks, he was sure Pelosi would agree that postponing this public relations trip was appropriate. He suggested that if she still wished to travel, she could use commercial flights. According to Reuters, Trump canceled Pelosi's trip half an hour before its scheduled departure. Sarah Sanders, the White House spokesperson, stated that the President was exercising his legal authority as Commander-in-Chief. She noted that Pelosi's use of military aircraft would require approval from the Department of Defense. However, a spokesperson for Pelosi clarified that the purpose of the congressional delegation's trip to Brussels was to meet with senior officials of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Reuters suggests that the cancellation of Pelosi's trip appears to be a reaction to her letter on Tuesday requesting the postponement of Trump's annual State of the Union address. The dispute between Trump and the Democrats in Congress over funding for the border wall with Mexico has led to parts of the federal government being shut down. Trump is seeking $5.7 billion for the construction of this wall, which the Democrats oppose. It is reported that this shutdown has resulted in 800,000 government employees either not working or not receiving pay for their work.