Speaker of the House Rep Nancy Pelosi extended an official invitation to House Republicans to join her on a trip to Taiwan in defiance of President Biden’s wishes.
The shocking development comes after Biden last week tried to urge Pelosi against making a visit to the controversial territory, saying the military was against the fairly routine diplomatic mission.
The Speaker invited both Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Tex.), the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, as well as panel chair Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) to join her on the trip. While McCaul said he was unable to join Pelosi due to a scheduling conflict, he urged other Republicans to fly with the powerful Democrat in defiance of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“Any member that wants to go, should. It shows political deterrence to President Xi,” McCaul said, NBC News reported. “But she should also pay attention to the military if it’s going to cause a blowback and escalate things.”
China has recently been posturing their military for a potential invasion of Taiwan, which they insist is part of the Republic of China. The United States views the small island as separate from their communist neighbors.
Chinese officials have recently threatened severe retaliation against the United States if Pelosi makes the trip, something Biden suggested she should heed.
Even former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich gave a rare word of support for the California Democrat leader.
Gingrich told FOX and Friends on Monday, “She cannot allow the Chinese communist dictatorship to think that it can bully an American Speaker of the House. And frankly, she ought to tell the Pentagon and the State Department to shut up. They’re always timid. They’re always risk-averse. And they don’t get it. It’s very important to show strength. So the Chinese communists understand that we’re real, and we’re not, just as Mao called us a paper tiger.”
Nancy Pelosi’s defiance of Biden comes as the president reaches all time polling lows in the middle of a major midterm election. Do you think the Speaker really cares about Taiwan or is she working to separate her party from the unpopular leader to try and save seats come November?
