trump endangers security again

[Bob Juch]

Today trump fired back at Nancy Pelosi by sending her this letter:

Dear Madam Speaker:

Due to the Shutdown, I am sorry to inform you that your trip to Brussels, Egypt and Afghanistan has been postponed. We will reschedule this seven-day excursion when the Shutdown is over. In light of the 800,000 great American workers not receiving pay, I am sure you would agree 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. Obviously, if you would like to make your journey by flying commercial, that would certainly be your prerogative.

I look forward to seeing you soon and even more forward to watching our open and dangerous Southern Border finally receive the attention, funding, and security it so desperately deserves!

One big problem: The trip has not been announced and the Speaker's office had asked the press to not mention it for security concerns.

[tlynn78]

Today trump fired back at Nancy Pelosi by sending her this letter:

Dear Madam Speaker:

Due to the Shutdown, I am sorry to inform you that your trip to Brussels, Egypt and Afghanistan has been postponed. We will reschedule this seven-day excursion when the Shutdown is over. In light of the 800,000 great American workers not receiving pay, I am sure you would agree 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. Obviously, if you would like to make your journey by flying commercial, that would certainly be your prerogative.

I look forward to seeing you soon and even more forward to watching our open and dangerous Southern Border finally receive the attention, funding, and security it so desperately deserves!

One big problem: The trip has not been announced and the Speaker's office had asked the press to not mention is for security concerns.

and me without my pearls to clutch.

[BackInTex]

How?

You don’t really think Pelosi would go on her own dime, do you?

[silverscreenselect]

How?

You don’t really think Pelosi would go on her own dime, do you?

Trump issued the order as the Democratic delegation was preparing to head to the airport, so they didn't really have time to make alternate plans. And, since there's no commercial traffic to Afghanistan, it's a moot question as to whether Pelosi would go there on her own dime or not.

I actually think that if they had enough time (they were scheduled to meet various NATO officials in Belgium), she would have rescheduled commercial at least that part of the trip.

[Estonut]

I actually think that if they had enough time (they were scheduled to meet various NATO officials in Belgium), she would have rescheduled commercial at least that part of the trip.

Really? Did they not have enough time to schedule it commercial in the first place?

[silverscreenselect]

I actually think that if they had enough time (they were scheduled to meet various NATO officials in Belgium), she would have rescheduled commercial at least that part of the trip.

Really? Did they not have enough time to schedule it commercial in the first place?

Per Pelosi's spokesman quoted in the article below, the plane needed to stop somewhere in Europe for pilot rest. They used that opportunity to schedule the meeting with NATO officials. Republican Congressional delegations have flown military during this shutdown. And, by the way:

Melania Trump flies to Florida on Air Force jet for weekend vacation

[Estonut]

I actually think that if they had enough time (they were scheduled to meet various NATO officials in Belgium), she would have rescheduled commercial at least that part of the trip.

Really? Did they not have enough time to schedule it commercial in the first place?

Per Pelosi's spokesman quoted in the article below, the plane needed to stop somewhere in Europe for pilot rest. They used that opportunity to schedule the meeting with NATO officials. Republican Congressional delegations have flown military during this shutdown. And, by the way:

Melania Trump flies to Florida on Air Force jet for weekend vacation

So that would be a "no" and some actual whataboutism.

[Bob Juch]

Really? Did they not have enough time to schedule it commercial in the first place?

Per Pelosi's spokesman quoted in the article below, the plane needed to stop somewhere in Europe for pilot rest. They used that opportunity to schedule the meeting with NATO officials. Republican Congressional delegations have flown military during this shutdown. And, by the way:

Melania Trump flies to Florida on Air Force jet for weekend vacation

So that would be a "no" and some actual whataboutism.

It's contagious.

[Bob Juch]

As Trump grounds Pelosi’s troop visit, FLOTUS boarded a $35,000 military flight to Florida

Donald Trump declared today (Jan. 17) he was grounding Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s upcoming trip to visit troops in Afghanistan “in light of the 800,000 Great American workers not receiving pay,” alluding to the expense of flying military aircraft there.

Hours later, his wife Melania Trump was on board a US military plane to Palm Beach, Florida, where the couple have a private club, on a flight that Quartz calculates cost US taxpayers $35,000.

Rest of story: https://qz.com/1527450/as-trump-grounds ... o-florida/

[jarnon]

On the bright side, the White House canceled plans for a delegation led by Treasury Sec. Mnuchin to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Mnuchin in particular, and politicians of both parties in general, have used trips like this as an excuse for a vacation, and Davos has ski slopes, so the optics could have been quite bad.

[Bob78164]

Really? Did they not have enough time to schedule it commercial in the first place?

Per Pelosi's spokesman quoted in the article below, the plane needed to stop somewhere in Europe for pilot rest. They used that opportunity to schedule the meeting with NATO officials. Republican Congressional delegations have flown military during this shutdown. And, by the way:

Melania Trump flies to Florida on Air Force jet for weekend vacation

So that would be a "no" and some actual whataboutism.

It's not whataboutism. It's a demonstration that Donny's stated reason for cancelling the trip is pretextual.

In the scheme of things, I don't care one way or another about cancelling the trip. It's penny ante tit-for-tat that makes him look petty but we already knew that about him. On a scale of 1 to 100 of bad things Donny has done that aspect doesn't crack double digits.

What makes his announcement reckless and irresponsible was the security threat created by announcing the destination of the trip in advance. Donny could have achieved the same goal by announcing the cancellation of military support for all planned Congressional trips until the shutdown is over. --Bob