Trump cancels US delegation's visit to Davos amid shutdown
What's the story
US President Donald Trump has canceled the US delegation's trip to the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos, Switzerland, due to the partial government shutdown, which entered its 27th-day yesterday.
Last week, Trump canceled his planned trip to the WEF meeting, citing the "intransigence" of the Democrats on his funding request to build a controversial wall along the US-Mexico border.
About
The five-day economic summit is slated to begin from January-21
The five-day economic summit is slated to begin at the Swiss resort town of Davos from January 21.
"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 canceled his delegation's trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said yesterday.
Details
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin was to lead the five-member delegation
The cancellation of the US delegation visit to the WEF meeting came on a day Trump postponed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Brussels, Egypt, and Afghanistan, citing the shutdown.
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin was due to lead the five-member presidential delegation to Davos which also included Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross.
Twitter Post
Sarah Sanders shared the letter to Pelosi on Twitter
President @realDonaldTrump’s letter to @SpeakerPelosi concerning her upcoming travel pic.twitter.com/TtBCvwp080
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) January 17, 2019
Delegation
Presidential delegation members include Robert Lighthizer and Chris Liddell
The other members of the presidential delegation to Davos are United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Coordination Chris Liddell.
The longest-ever shutdown in US history has rendered over 800,000 federal employees without work, crippling the functioning of several key wings of the government including Security and State department.
Why shutdown?
Shutdown is a result of political division over border-security issue
The shutdown is a result of the political division over border security issue as the Democrats who enjoy a majority in the House have refused to approve legislation approving $5.7 billion in federal funding to construct the US-Mexico border wall.
Trump insists that building a wall is the only solution to protect the nation from a large flow of illegal immigrants and drug smuggling.
The parties
After Trump walked out, Democrats unwilling to come for negotiation
The Democrats are opposing any such funding for the wall.
After Trump walked out of a meeting at the White House last week, Democrats have also refused to come to the negotiation table.
The ongoing shutdown on January 12 broke the previous record of 21 days of US government shutdown under the Bill Clinton administration from December 16, 1995, to January 5, 1996.