Trump cancels US delegation to Davos forum due to shutdown

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IANS | 18 Jan, 2019
US President Donald Trump has cancelled his delegations trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, due to the ongoing partial government 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," CNBC News quoted press secretary Sarah Sanders as saying in a late Thursday statement.

Earlier this week, the White House said it had planned to send Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Chris Liddell, assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for policy coordination.

Trump cancelled his own plans to attend the forum last week citing the shutdown.

"Because of the Democrats intransigence on Border Security and the great importance of Safety for our Nation, I am respectfully cancelling my very important trip to Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum," he tweeted earlier this month.

"My warmest regards and apologies to the @WEF!"

The annual conference in Switzerland gathers world leaders and business executives.

This year's theme is "Globalization 4.0: Shaping a Global Architecture in the Age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution".

Also on Thursday, the President postponed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's planned overseas trip with other members of Congress, shortly before they were scheduled to depart on a military plane.

The postponement came a day after the California Democrat sent Trump a letter, urging him to either reschedule his January 29 State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress or deliver it in writing.

A White House official told NBC News that all congressional delegations overseas that would have used federally funded military aircraft have been grounded by Trump until the shutdown ends.

The shutdown entered its 27th day on Thursday as Trump and Pelosi remained at loggerheads on the issue of the President's border wall.