The Trump administration has barred all federally authorized aircrafts from transporting congressional delegations during the partial government shutdown, unless given a special exemption by the White House.
The Office of Management and Budget announced Friday that any congressional outings on military flights must go through the chief of staff, a position currently filled on an acting basis by OMB Director Mick Mulvaney.
“Under no circumstances during a government shutdown will any government owned, rented, leased, or chartered aircraft support any congressional delegation, without the express written approval of the White House chief of staff,” the notice read.
The announcement come one day after President Trump grounded a flight that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and a handful of other House Democrats planned to take to Brussels and Afghanistan.
The president cited the shutdown as the reason for canceling the trip, called a CODEL, but critics say it was a political slight.
The president also canceled his administration’s delegation to the annual international economic conference in Davos, Switzerland, next week because of the ongoing shutdown.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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