Politics - News Analysis
Trump Facing Incredible Backlash for Allowing Melania to Use Govt Plane to Mar-a-Lago, But Cancelling Pelosi Trip
Melania Trump chartered a military plane to Florida on the same day Donald Trump said he was cancelling House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip because of the government shutdown, and social media was quick to call out Trump’s hypocrisy.
On Thursday, the 27th day of the government shutdown, Melania Trump flew to the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on an Air Force jet, according to NBC News.
Earlier Thursday, Trump told Pelosi he was postponing her trip to Afghanistan “in light of the 800,000 great American workers not receiving pay.”
Trump said it would be better if Pelosi stayed in Washington to negotiate an end to the shutdown with him and join “the Strong Border Security movement.” He told Pelosi she was welcome to pay for commercial flights instead.
And yet, Trump was just fine with his wife using government resources to fly to Florida for the long holiday weekend.
Stay up-to-date with the latest news!
Subscribe and start recieving our daily emails.
Melania Trump’s flight was officially designated EXEC1F, a call-sign known to be used when members of a president’s family are aboard a military plane. The jet was a Boeing C32-A, which is the same type of aircraft used to transport the president. She and her son Barron arrived in West Palm Beach on Thursday evening and were expected to spend the long holiday weekend at the resort.
The flight was noted by @CivMilAir, a Twitter account that tracks “rare/interesting” air traffic. It posted screenshots of the plane’s trajectory and confirmed that the first lady had landed at Palm Beach International Airport.
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
A U.S government plane has landed at PBIA. It is believed that the plane was carrying First Lady Melanie Trump. pic.twitter.com/KxEgvKDKB4
— Julius Whigham II (@JuliusWhigham) January 18, 2019
Twitter was furious:
Nancy Pelosi can’t go to Afghanistan but Melania Trump gets to fly on a military plane to Mar a Lago? Kinda ironic considering we’re in this whole mess because Trump wants to make things harder on immigrant women who can barely speak English and come here to drop anchor babies…
— Cyrus McQueen (@CyrusMMcQueen) 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
Trump grounds Pelosi and won't let her fly to see our troops and conduct international business overseas.
800,000 federal workers are furloughed. With each day, our economy is threatened.
Melania used the president's plane to fly to Florida today. Just because. https://t.co/0cmf2PMnoE
— April (@ReignOfApril) January 17, 2019
Nancy Pelosi was traveling for the good of this country. Trump was traveling to the southern border in order to help spread his rhetoric and hate of non-white people. Melania was traveling to get away from her husband.
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) January 18, 2019
For those of you keeping score:
Nancy Pelosi going to Afghanistan to visit the troops on a military plane during a shutdown: not OK, because trump is petty AF
Melania trump flying to Florida for whatevs on a military plane during a shutdown: OK, because trump is petty AF.
— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) January 18, 2019
Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to visit, thank and check on our troops and to reassure our NATO allies that we are still with them was canceled today by an asshole.
The asshole’s wife, Racist Birther Queen Melania trump flew to Palm Beach today for another holiday weekend. MAGA.
— Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) January 18, 2019
Disgusting.
Nancy Pelosi was going to visit our military overseas and meet with NATO allies and Trump grounded her plane out of spite, claiming it was to negotiate for his wall…
Right now, as I type, “First Lady” Melania is on a government plane inbound to Mar-A-Lago.
— TOᑭ ᖇOᑭE TᖇAViS (@TopRopeTravis) January 17, 2019
Let me get this straight:
It's not okay during a shutdown for Pelosi to visit American troops in Afghanistan on official government business (which included diplomacy & NatSec briefings)…
…but it's fine for Melania Trump to commandeer Air Force One to go on a Florida vacay? pic.twitter.com/meFT4CjlpE
— Arlen Parsa (@arlenparsa) January 17, 2019
So Nancy Pelosi can't use a government aircraft to travel to a war zone because of the shutdown, but Melania can fly to Mar-a-Lago and Munchin can go to Davos to hang out with the super-rich?
I hate this administration.
— Denizcan Grimes (@MrFilmkritik) January 17, 2019
Comments
Comments are currently closed.