Government shutdown: Trump blocks Pelosi's trip in State of the Union spat as State Department calls in workers
Comes as Democrat-led House withdrew a bill they had passed to reopen the shuttered portions of the government
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Donald Trump has escalated his spat with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi over a possible delay to the annual State of the Union address by cancelling her upcoming trip to Belgium, Egypt and Afghanistan.
The White House postponed Ms Pelosi's ability to use military aircraft, which is Mr Trump's perogative as commander-in-chief. It comes a day after Ms Pelosi asked Mr Trump to delay the annual State of the Union address. Both blamed the partial government shutdown.
The episode shows how neither side appear close to backing down over the border wall funding issue that sparked the government closure now into its 27th day.
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A whole stream of politicians have appeared on CNN, with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer telling the network that “it demeans the presidency” for President Trump to have denied military aircraft for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip so abruptly.
He said the move was “so petty.”
Here is our full report on Mr Trump's letter to Ms Pelosi.
The Deputy chief of staff to Ms Pelosi, Drew Hammill, has been tweeting about Mr Trump's letter. He says that the trip would have included a stop in Brussels for pilot rest, which would include meetings with Nato commanders. There would be no spot in Egypt, he adds.
Mr Hammill says purpose of visit is to "express thanks" to troops and "obtain critical national security briefings".
He points out that both Mr Trump and a Republican delegation has visited Iraq during the shutdown.
Some more reaction to the cancelling of Ms Pelosi's trip from senior Republicans:
The House has withdrawn passage of a bill to reopen shuttered portions of the government and will vote again on the measure next week.
The Democratic-controlled House passed the bill by voice vote on Thursday, but Republicans objected, saying they wanted a roll call tally.
Democratic Representative GK Butterfield of North Carolina, who was presiding at the time, said he did not hear any Republicans request a roll call vote.
Earlier on Thursday, Mr Trump said the Democratic Party has been "hijacked" by those opposed to his plan for a US-Mexico border wall as he seeks to turn up pressure on his political rivals over an ongoing partial government shutdown.
Mr Trump said at the Pentagon - as he launched a US defence review - that the government remains shut down because congressional Democrats refuse to approve border security.
He claimed without evidence that Democrats in the House and the Senate are willing to negotiate with him to make a deal to reopen the government but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi "will not let them negotiate."
Away from the shutdown, law firm Skadden Arps has just agreed to a $4.6 million settlement with the Department of Justice over its representation of Paul Manafort and will retroactively register as a foreign agent.
Donald Trump's 2020 campaign team has issued a fundraising email off the back of Ms Pelosi's request to delay the State of the Union address.
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