No US officials in Davos: Trump cancels plans for Mnuchin & Pompeo to visit forum
The high-ranking delegation of US officials will not be flying to the World Economic Forum in Davos, the White House has announced. The decision was taken "out of consideration" for some 800,000 workers affected by the shutdown.
"Out of consideration for the 800,000 great American workers not receiving pay and to ensure his team can assist as needed, President Trump has cancelled his Delegation's trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement on Thursday.
Also on rt.com Davos U-turn: World Economic Forum welcomes all Russian businessmen after boycott threatThe announcement comes just five days before the annual Davos conference kicks off on January, 22.
Trump himself was not supposed to travel to Davos this time, "respectfully" canceling his trip last week citing the shutdown. The record-breaking government standoff has brought nine government agencies to a standstill while dragging on for the 27th day.
The Davos announcement came shortly after Trump cancelled House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Belgium, Egypt and Afghanistan, calling it a seven-day "excursion" and encouraging Pelosi to fly commercial.
Trump postponing Pelosi's trip over the shutdown was itself seen as retaliation to her demanding the president put on hold his State of the Union address until the government reopens. The House Speaker argued that the Secret Service, which has also been affected by the shutdown, lacks resources to staff the high-security event.
The Secret Service, however, appeared to have dismissed Pelosi's claims, with an unnamed law enforcement official, cited by NBC News, calling Trump's address a "no-fail mission."
Trump's move against Pelosi drew criticism from Democrats and even some Republicans, while the president's detractors on Twitter quickly accused him of "hypocrisy" fornot canceling his delegation's Davos trip for the same reasons.
Dear Secretary @stevenmnuchin1: Trump denied Speaker Pelosi from taking a military aircraft to a war zone to thank our troops. Are you taking a military airplane to Davos?Also, was it your idea to lift sanctions on Putin's friend? Or did @realDonaldTrump direct you to do it? https://t.co/8xPeCSsAj5
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) January 17, 2019
BREAKING: As Trump claims to cancel Nancy Pelosi's overseas trip due to the "government shutdown", Trump's own Secretary of the Treasury, Steve Mnuchin will leave for Davos, as planned.If you can't see the hypocrisy here, you are clueless!
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) January 17, 2019
Not surprisingly, the Russiagaters used the Trump cabinet's Davos trip to weave the Russian collusion narrative into the conversation.
Aide: So we’re canceling a congressional visit to the troops?Trump: Hell yes!Aide: But you still want Mnuchin in Davos to see Manafort handler Oleg Deripaska?Trump: Hell yes!
— Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) January 17, 2019
Just so we're clear,Trump is saying the person who is 2nd IN LINE to the Presidency can't visit troops during the shutdown but he is STILL sending the Secretary of the Treasury to Davos to meet with Russian oligarch, Oleg Deripaska.
— Mikel Jollett (@Mikel_Jollett) January 17, 2019
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer were supposed to attend the event widely associated with globalism and big money.
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