The cancellation of the official House delegation to the annual Munich Security Conference has drawn pushback from Democrats who still plan to attend, even as it breaks a decades-long tradition of strong bipartisan participation at the high-profile global policy forum.
During the Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown, a House leadership aide told The Hill that canceling congressional delegations (CODEL) was standard operating procedure.
But House Democrats have sharply criticized Republicans for the cancellation, arguing that attending the conference is crucial to restoring the United States’ standing with allies amid the Trump administration’s aggressive foreign policy approach.
“Because of the Republican shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, because the Republicans refused to make any deal or make any changes to ICE after the fatal murders of Alex Pretty and Renee Goode, we are closed, and therefore, we cannot go to official codes. I have decided to go along with many of my Democratic colleagues,” Ressari said. Thursday in a video statement.
Ansari said she wanted to make clear that Trump “does not define the United States, we are committed to our allies, NATO, America’s credibility and leadership around the world.”
Representative Jason Crowe (D-Colo.), who attended the conference, told NBC News on Friday that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) ordered hotel reservations, military flights and credentials to lawmakers to cancel the conference.
Crowe called it a “wrong move,” NBC reported, adding that the event requires the presence of U.S. officials other than Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
While lawmakers are not barred from going and House Democrats still plan to attend the conference on their own dime, it’s unclear if any House Republicans will attend. Contrary to Johnson’s move to cancel the delegation, several bipartisan Senate delegations will still attend the convention.
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will attend in her “personal capacity” as a member of the Munich Security Conference Advisory Council, her spokesman Ian Kreiger told The Hill in a statement.
“His presence reflects decades of leadership in transatlantic cooperation and underscores the importance of enduring U.S. partners at a moment of deep geopolitical uncertainty,” Kreger said. “Speaker Pelosi is committed to strengthening partnerships that advance collective security, economic prosperity and democratic governance.”
Other House Democrats attending the conference include Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Jim Himes (D-Conn.) and Sarah McBride (D-Del.).
“Some of us are going on our own dime to reassure and thank our allies anyway,” Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, posted on X.
Ocasio-Cortez used a panel discussion at Friday’s conference to support the working class and accused Trump of tearing up the “transatlantic partnership.”
“One of the reasons not just me, but a lot of Democrats are here is because we want to tell a big story, what’s going on is really very serious, and we’re in a new era, domestically and globally,” Ocasio-Cortez said on the panel, when asked about the importance of representing the US at the convention.
Representative Joe Wilson (R.S.C.), a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Politico that it was “shameful” that lawmakers could miss the key conference.
However, he added that: “This is a very responsible position by the Speaker that matches the irresponsibility of Senate Democrats to shut down the government. And therefore responsible action must always be available to end the shutdown.”
The White House and Democrats are deadlocked over a deal to fund DHS. A stopgap measure to temporarily fund the department for two weeks expired on February 13.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) have called for sweeping reforms to the White House’s immigration strategy, including an overhaul of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, after agents shot and killed a U.S. citizen in Minnesota. While the White House sent Democrats a counter proposal to their DHS demands, minority leaders have argued that the proposal falls short.
The Senate left Washington on Thursday and DHS closed at midnight.
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