Trump cancels Pelosi’s airplane journey

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP makes his 2018 State of the Union address to Congress (White House photo).

President Donald Trump informed Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi on Thursday that her planned trip to Belgium, Egypt and Afghanistan was called off, at least temporarily.

“Due to the [government shutdown], I am sorry to inform you that your trip … has been postponed,” he wrote. Her journey was going to be by military aircraft, but “Obviously, if you would like to make your journey by flying commercial, that would certainly be your prerogative,” Trump wrote.

The president’s action came one day after Pelosi informed him that the State of the Union address to Congress should be postponed until after the shutdown is ended.

In the aftermath of the deadlock over Trump’s demand for a $5.7 billion wall along the southwestern border between the U.S. and Mexico, the partial shutdown of the federal government is now in its 26th day.