Politics

Trump Brings Pelosi’s Multimillion-Dollar Vineyard Into Shutdown Fight

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President Donald Trump brought up House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s multimillion-dollar vineyard Friday to criticize her for planning to travel out of the country during the shutdown after he banned her from using military aircraft for the trip Thursday.

“Why would Nancy Pelosi leave the Country with other Democrats on a seven day excursion when 800,000 great people are not getting paid,” Trump wrote on Twitter Friday. “Also, could somebody please explain to Nancy [and] her ‘big donors’ in wine country that people working on farms (grapes) will have easy access in!”

Pelosi and her husband own a California vineyard and mansion worth at least $5 million that brings in thousands of dollars in grape sales each year, according to TIME Inc.’s Money magazine. California’s “recruitment of agricultural guest workers has grown sevenfold” since 2011, and it ranks fifth among states for hiring foreign workers, reported The Los Angeles Times.

Friday marked day 28 of the partial government shutdown triggered by the inability of Congress and the White House to agree on funding the southern border wall Trump wants. Pelosi has said a border wall would be “immoral.”

The speaker was planning to embark on a trip to Belgium, Egypt and Afghanistan Thursday when Trump essentially canceled it last minute via letter.

“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,” Trump wrote. “In light of the 800,000 great American workers not receiving pay, I am sure you would agree that postponing this public relations event is totally appropriate.”

Trump’s letter came a day after Pelosi sent him a letter Wednesday seeking to delay Trump’s State of the Union address until after the shutdown ends. Trump’s address is scheduled for Jan. 29.

Trump also canceled his delegation’s trip to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland scheduled for next week on Thursday. The president was not attending the forum, but Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were slated to represent him.

“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 Huckabee Sanders told reporters Thursday.

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