Three years into President Donald Trump’s term has already seen a lot of traditions either overlooked or handled differently. Now, Trump has chosen to skip yet another tradition by not attending the annual St. Patrick’s Day lunch.
CNN reports that Trump, along with Vice President Mike Pence, will not be attending the annual St. Patrick’s Day lunch at Capitol Hill on Thursday, the 12th of March. Trump and/or Pence’s non-attendance is the first time in 30 years since the founding of the event, that neither the president or the vice president will not be joining the rest of the lawmakers in the bipartisan affair. This would be the fourth time a president has missed the lunch.
The White House issued a statement of their rejection of the invitation to attend, saying that it was due to the personal conflict Trump has with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that prompted him to decline the invitation. The St. Patrick’s Day lunch is usually hosted by the current House Speaker, and Pelosi is the current House Speaker. “Since the Speaker has chosen to tear this Nation apart with her actions and rhetoric, the President will not participate in moments where she so often chooses to drive discord and disunity, and will instead celebrate the rich history and strong ties between the United States and Ireland at the White House,” according to the statement.
It is safe to say that Trump and Pelosi’s relationship was further strained during the impeachment trial. The last time the two were seen in the same room was during the National Prayer Breakfast. The actions of both towards each other made their obvious dislike for each other public - from the criticism during the National Prayer Breakfast to Pelosi’s tear up of Trump’s speech after the State of the Union address the day before.
Pelosi’s side was quick to respond to the White House statement, as reported by Politico. Drew Hammill, the deputy chief of staff, said, “There has never been stronger support in the Congress and in the country for the U.S. - Ireland bilateral relationship. One would think that the White House could set petty, partisan politics aside for this historic occasion.”
On the day itself, Trump will also be hosting the prime minister of Ireland to carry out another tradition; the Shamrock Bowl presentation.


Trump Announces U.S. Military Presence in Strait of Hormuz Following Iran Ceasefire Deal
U.S. Automakers Push Back Against EU Rules Blocking American Trucks from European Market
Taiwan Defense Budget: U.S. Senator Urges Legislature to Pass Spending Plan
UN Envoy Heads to Iran Amid Escalating Conflict and Ceasefire Talks
Todd Blanche Defends Trump's Authority to Direct Federal Investigations
Israel Backs U.S. Ceasefire Decision Amid Iran Tensions, Talks Set for April 10
China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030
UK PM Keir Starmer Heads to Middle East Amid Ceasefire Agreement
FCC Moves to Ban All Chinese Labs From Testing U.S. Electronics
Anthropic Fights Pentagon Blacklisting in Dual Federal Court Battles
World Reacts as Trump Issues Dire Warning to Iran Ahead of Surprise Ceasefire
U.S.-China Trade Talks: Trump and Xi Set for Summit Amid Rare Earths Focus
Kataib Hezbollah Releases Abducted U.S. Journalist Shelly Kittleson from Iraq
Haiti Election 2025: Voter Registration Delayed Amid Ongoing Security Crisis
ICE Officer-Involved Shooting in Northern California After Suspect Rams Vehicle
Trump Suspends Iran Strikes for Two Weeks as Ceasefire Talks Begin
Mexico Appoints Roberto Velasco as New Foreign Minister Amid USMCA Trade Review 



