In this photo provided by Ministry of Communications and Information, Singapore, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, left, and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong shake hands at the Istana Presidential Palace in Singapore, Monday, Aug. 1, 2022. Pelosi arrived in Singapore early Monday, kicking off her Asian tour as questions swirled over a possible stop in Taiwan that has fueled tension with Beijing. (Ministry of Communications and Information, Singapore via AP)
OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 11:11 AM PT – Monday, August 1, 2022
The White House offered a feeble response to China’s threat of shooting down House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) flight to Taiwan.
On Friday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre seemingly undermined the threat. She suggested that since China’s statement related to Pelosi’s travel schedule, she can not speak on it because it is “hypothetical.”
Unbelievable: Karine Jean-Pierre says the White House won’t respond to Chinese state media threats to shoot down Nancy Pelosi’s plane should she visit Taiwan.
“We’re just not going to speak on her schedule.”
Abject, embarrassing weakness. pic.twitter.com/4Biw7DsqBr
— John Cooper (@thejcoop) July 29, 2022
While Pelosi’s trip does not officially include Taiwan, China’s Hu Xijin, who serves as the country’s propagandist, said China would gun down Pelosi’s plane. On Twitter, many former White House officials expressed their dismay over the statement. They called it a shame and an embarrassing display of the administration’s weakness.
Pelosi’s trip to Asia departed on Sunday. It will include stops to Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore. She is expected to speak on legislative matters.