- Title: Pelosi takes aim at Trump over White House meeting
- Date: 17th October 2019
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (OCTOBER 17, 2019) (REUTERS) HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI ENTERING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI SAYING: "Then the President said the reason I'm taking the troops out of Syria is because I promised in the campaign to bring the troops home. My question to him was: Is Saudi Arabia home? Why are our troops going to Saudi Arabia if you promised to bring them home. He said "Well, the Saudi Arabians are paying for it." Really? We're putting our troops in harms way for Saudi Arabia because they're paying? It just didn't add up. But what it did do was cause a meltdown on the part of the President because he was unhappy with those questions. And it was unfortunate because we were invited to the meeting. The President started off the meeting by saying "I don't know who asked for this meeting. I didn't." And we're like, well, let's proceed. And our real mission was to find out what the plan was." GENERAL VIEW OF PELOSI (SOUNDBITE) (English) HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI SAYING: "I think I was excusing myself from the room [referring to photo of Pelosi standing up in meeting and pointing]. I think I told you the thought that I conveyed to the President in the meeting about the 354 to 60 vote in the House, disapproving of his Syria actions. B, my concerns about all roads leading to Putin and if the President was saying during the campaign I'm going to take the troops home, then is home Saudia Arabia? That would be about the essence, even sitting down or standing up, but my conversation was with the President." (SOUNDBITE) (English) HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI SAYING: "Today's a very sad day for us as we all awaken to the sad news of the passing of our dear friend, revered and respected colleague, Mr. Chairman, Elijah Cummings of Maryland. My brother in Baltimore. In the Congress, Elijah was considered a North Star. He was a leader of towering character and integrity. He lived the American dream." WHITE FLASH PELOSI LEAVING
- Embargoed: 31st October 2019 15:40
- Keywords: Nancy Pelosi Donald Trump meltdown Saudi Arabia
- Location: WASHINGTON DC, UNITED STATES
- City: WASHINGTON DC, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001B1HM0CN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi gave more details on Thursday (October 17) on the now infamous White House meeting over Syria where she accused Trump of having a "meltdown."
On Wednesday (October 16) Pelosi said Democratic leaders cut short a White House meeting after Republican President Donald Trump had a "meltdown" over a House of Representatives vote condemning his Syria withdrawal.
During a Thursday morning news conference, Pelosi said part of the meeting focused on Trump's campaign promise to bring troops home.
"Then the President said the reason I'm taking the troops out of Syria is because I promised in the campaign to bring the troops home. My question to him was: Is Saudi Arabia home? Why are our troops going to Saudia Arabia if you promised to bring them home. He said "Well, the Saudi Arabians are paying for it." Really? We're putting our troops in harms way for Saudi Arabia because they're paying? It just didn't add up," she said.
She also repeated her claim that Trump had a "meltdown."
The Democratic leader said Trump had a temper tantrum because so many Republicans joined Democrats to vote for a resolution condemning the president's decision to withdraw U.S. forces from northeastern Syria, clearing the way for Turkey's offensive against U.S.-allied Syrian Kurds.
The vote was 354 to 60, with dozens of Trump's fellow Republicans joining the majority Democrats. The split underscored deep unhappiness in Congress over Trump's action, which many lawmakers view as abandoning Kurdish fighters who had been fighting alongside Americans to defeat Islamic State militants.
Later in the day, Trump posted a photo on Twitter of the meeting, showing Pelosi standing up and pointing at him. Trump called her "Nervous Nancy" in his post.
Pelosi responded to questions about the photo on Thursday.
"I think I was excusing myself from the room [referring to photo of Pelosi standing up in meeting and pointing]. I think I told you the thought that I conveyed to the president in the meeting about the 354 to 60 vote in the House, disapproving of his Syria actions. B, my concerns about all roads leading to Putin and if the President was saying during the campaign I'm going to take the troops home, then is home Saudia Arabia? That would be about the essence, even sitting down or standing up, but my conversation was with the president," she said.
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