White House CONFIRMS Trump will NOT visit World Economic Forum because of crisis shutdown

He made the decision due to the partial US government shutdown, according to a statement Press Secretary Sarah Sanders released on Thursday. The shutdown is currently the longest-running in the history of US politics. Trump blamed the Democrats’ “intransigence on border security” for the cancellation last week, referring to his funding request to build a wall along the US’ southern border with Mexico.

The President has demanded $5.7billion (£4.5billion) to fund the wall, but the Democrats in charge of the House have offered $1.3billion (£1billion), causing the political gridlock.

Trump said: “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.

“My warmest regards and apologies to the World Economic Forum.”

The forum is an annual gathering of the world’s political and financial elite, but US Presidents do not usually attend.

READ MORE: What is US government shutdown? Is it longest in US history?

However, Trump did attend last year, the first President to do so since Bill Clinton in 2000.

The White House had not disclosed an agenda for Trump during the forum, which starts on January 22.

Before announcing the delegation was cancelled, Trump said: “I intended to go and speak in front of the world financial community in Davos.

“But if the shutdown continues – which is in a while from now – but if the shutdown continues, I won’t go.

“I had planned to go. It’s been very successful when I went.”

Officials had suggested the event may have been a setting for renewed trade talks with China, according to the New York Times.

The President has also postponed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s upcoming foreign trips to Brussels and Afghanistan, asking her to stay and negotiate.

Trump put a stop to the trip by denying the use of military aircraft to the Speaker and a delegation.

The partial government shutdown has now persisted for nearly three weeks.

source: express.co.uk