January 17, 2019

Trump Strikes Back at Pelosi by Saying He’s Canceled Her Foreign Travel

The president suggested the House speaker fly commercial to Afghanistan instead.

ZUMA

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.

President Donald Trump struck back at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s recommendation to reschedule his State of the Union address until after the government has reopened, claiming in a letter on Thursday that he has postponed Pelosi’s upcoming travel to Brussels, Egypt, and Afghanistan—foreign visits he derisively referred to as “public relations” events.

“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,” Trump wrote in the letter, which was first tweeted by press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. “I also feel that, during this period, it would be better if you were in Washington negotiating with me and joining the Strong Border Security movement to end the Shutdown.”

The retaliatory move by the president came less than an hour before Pelosi had reportedly planned to leave for her trip. Prior to Trump’s letter, Pelosi’s trip had reportedly been kept a secret out of security concerns.

If Pelosi hoped to keep her foreign travel commitments, the president, in typical Trump-trolling fashion, suggested she fly commercial.

Trump, who presumably denied Pelosi’s use of a military plane, did not intend to cancel upcoming travel for his Cabinet members attending the World Economic Forum in Davos next week, White House aides confirmed. His letter also did not respond directly to Pelosi’s initial suggestion that he postpone his State of the Union address, originally scheduled for January 29.

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate