Trump refuses to attend St. Patrick's Day lunch at Capitol this week in major snub to host Nancy Pelosi as White House says she has torn 'this Nation apart with her actions and her rhetoric
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President Donald Trump slammed and snubbed Speaker Nancy Pelosi when he said he won't attend annual St. Patrick's Day lunch at Capitol
Luncheon goes back to Ronald Reagan and is hosted by Speaker of House
Trump went to last year's but will skip this Thursday's
It's the first time a president has missed it since 2003
Leo Varadkar, the taoiseach of Ireland, is traveling to attend it, as the Irish leader does every year
'Since the Speaker has chosen to tear this Nation apart with her actions and her rhetoric, the President will not participate in moments where she so often chooses to drive discord and disunity,' the White House said
'One would think that the White House could set petty, partisan politics aside for this historic occasion,' Pelosi's office said
President Donald Trump slammed and snubbed Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday with an announcement he won't attend the annual St. Patrick's Day lunch in the Capitol this Thursday.
It's the first time a president has skipped the traditional, non-partisan luncheon since George W. Bush missed it in 2003, shortly before the United States invaded Iraq.
The luncheon - formally called the Friends of Ireland Luncheon - is hosted by the Speaker of the House, who is Pelosi, and honors the taoiseach of Ireland.
Leo Varadkar, the current taoiseach of Ireland, is traveling to attend it, as Irish leaders do every year.
But Trump won't be there, Politico's Playbook reported.
White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere told the news outlet that it was Pelosi's actions that rendered the decision.
'Since the Speaker has chosen to tear this Nation apart with her actions and her rhetoric, the President will not participate in moments where she so often chooses to drive discord and disunity, and will instead celebrate the rich history and strong ties between the United States and Ireland at the White House on March 12. The relationship between our two countries has never been stronger, and the President looks forward to welcoming the Prime Minister of Ireland for the annual Shamrock Bowl presentation,' Deere said.
Pelosi's controversial ripping up the text of Trump's State of the Union address sparked fury from the White House.
Relations between the two heads of the executive and legislative branches of government have been tense for months and grown colder since the speaker launched the impeachment inquiry in September. The Senate voted last month to acquit the president on the two articles against him.
Trump refused to shake the speaker's hand when he arrived in the House chamber last month to give the State of the Union address.
The last time the two met before that was an October 16 meeting on Syria at the White House, where she and other top Democrats walked out.
The speaker's office slammed the president's decision to skip this week's lunch.
'There has never been stronger support in the Congress and in the country for the U.S.-Ireland bilateral relationship. One would think that the White House could set petty, partisan politics aside for this historic occasion,' Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8088755/Trump-snubs-Pelosi-decision-not-attend-annual-St-Patricks-Day-lunch-Capitol.html