Trump cancels US delegation’s visit to Davos amid shutdown

TIL Desk/World/Washington/ US President Donald Trump has cancelled the delegation’s trip to the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland, due to the partial government shutdown. The announcement comes as the shutdown entered its 27th day on Thursday. 

Last week, Trump cancelled 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. The five-day 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 in a statement on Thursday.

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.