Why Melania Trump's Weekend Plans Are Invoking the Internet's Ire
The U.S. government has been shut down for 28 days and counting, meaning around 800,000 government employees haven’t been paid in nearly a month, and hungry White House guests have been downgraded to a Trump-curated menu of Big Macs and Melania-made salads.
On Wednesday, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi urged the President to reschedule the Jan. 29 State of the Union or submit it in writing due to security concerns caused by the shutdown.
Instead of addressing Pelosi’s request, Trump informed her via letter that her upcoming trip to visit troops in Afghanistan had been “postponed” as a cost-cutting measure “in light of the 800,000 great American workers not receiving pay.” He clarified that Pelosi was welcome to expense her own flight, writing, “Obviously, if you would like to make your journey by flying commercial, that would certainly be your prerogative.”
President @realDonaldTrump’s letter to @SpeakerPelosi concerning her upcoming travel pic.twitter.com/TtBCvwp080
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) January 17, 2019
On the very same day that Trump boasted about his administration's frugality, a military plane was chartered for First Lady Melania to make a weekend getaway to the family’s Mar-a-Lago retreat in Florida.
EXEC1F - #MelaniaForceOne climbing out from Joint Base Andrews
???????? US Air Force
C-32A 98-0001 https://t.co/BlmOXELhxJ pic.twitter.com/kgGWuEiiGV— CivMilAir ? (@CivMilAir) January 17, 2019
RELATED: People Are Concerned That Melania Trump Disappeared Again
As always, the Internet has some thoughts:
Melania Trump flew on a government plane today to go on vacation at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. Trump cancels the government plane for the Speaker’s trip to Afghanistan to visit with troops. This is what corruption looks like. The definition of it. In so many ways. Abuse of power.
— Scott Dworkin (@funder) January 18, 2019
Wait...Nancy Pelosi can't travel on a government plane to do actual government work but Melania can travel on a government jet to Mar-a-Lago?
Melania Trump reportedly heading to Mar-a-Lago on government jet https://t.co/3al720W4x8— Holly Figueroa O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) January 18, 2019
.@SpeakerPelosi cannot use military plane to war zone and NATO that speakers are entitled to (for security since 9/11 because she is in line of succession) but Melania Trump flew tonight to Maralago on same type of military 757 from JBA.
Alone.— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) January 18, 2019
So Trump would not allow House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to use a military jet for a bipartisan congressional delegation to visit U.S. troops in Afghanistan but just allowed his wife Melania Trump to use a military jet to fly to Palm Beach for a weekend in Mar-a-Lago. pic.twitter.com/505IliJAfC
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) January 18, 2019
The White House thought it was cool to send Melania Trump to Mar-A-Lago — that’s an actual vacation — on a military plane after blocking Pelosi from going to see the troops. But nobody loves the military more, amirite?
— Adam Best (@adamcbest) January 18, 2019
So it appears that flying private is only a government issue when it concerns those opposing the President’s wall — er, policies.
