House Delegation Cancellation Upends Lawmakers' Travel to Munich Security Conference

Democrats plan to attend the high-profile global policy forum despite the Republican-led cancellation of the official House delegation.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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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's upended a decades-long tradition of robust bipartisan participation in the high-profile global policy forum. House Democrats have sharply criticized Republicans for the cancellation, arguing that attending the conference is critical to restoring the United States' standing with allies amid the Trump administration's aggressive foreign policy approach.

Why it matters

The Munich Security Conference is a critical global summit where world leaders and policymakers gather to discuss pressing international issues. The cancellation of the official U.S. House delegation raises concerns about America's commitment to its alliances and leadership on the world stage, particularly in the wake of the Trump administration's 'America First' foreign policy.

The details

House leadership cited the ongoing shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as the reason for cancelling the congressional delegation (CODEL) to the Munich conference. However, House Democrats have criticized the move, with Rep. Yassamin Ansari saying she and other colleagues plan to attend the conference on their own dime to 'make clear that Trump does not define the United States' and to reaffirm America's commitment to its allies and NATO. Rep. Jason Crow called the cancellation the 'wrong move,' arguing that U.S. officials other than just the Secretary of State need to be present at the event.

  • The House leadership aide said cancelling congressional delegations is standard procedure during a DHS shutdown.
  • The DHS funding stopgap measure expired on February 13, 2026, leading to a shutdown of the department.

The players

Rep. Yassamin Ansari

A Democratic representative from Arizona who plans to attend the Munich Security Conference on her own dime to reaffirm America's commitment to its allies.

Rep. Jason Crow

A Democratic representative from Colorado who attended the Munich Security Conference and criticized the cancellation of the official House delegation as the 'wrong move.'

Speaker Mike Johnson

The Republican Speaker of the House who ordered the cancellation of the hotel reservations, military flights, and credentials for the House delegation to the Munich Security Conference.

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi

The Democratic former Speaker of the House who will be attending the Munich Security Conference in her 'personal capacity' as a member of the conference's Advisory Council.

Rep. Joe Wilson

A senior Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee who said it's a 'shame' lawmakers could miss the key Munich Security Conference, but also defended the Speaker's 'responsible' decision to cancel the delegation.

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What they’re saying

“Because of the Republican shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, because Republicans refuse to make any compromises or any changes to ICE after the deadly murders of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, we have a shutdown, and therefore, we cannot go on official CODELS. I've decided, along with a number of my Democratic colleagues, to go anyway.”

— Rep. Yassamin Ansari, Democratic Representative from Arizona (Video statement)

“It's a very responsible position by the Speaker which matches the irresponsibility of the Senate Democrats to shut down the government. And so the responsible act is to be ever available to end the shutdown.”

— Rep. Joe Wilson, Senior Republican Member, House Foreign Affairs Committee (Politico)

What’s next

It remains unclear whether any House Republicans will attend the Munich Security Conference after the cancellation of the official delegation. Meanwhile, several bipartisan Senate delegations are still planning to attend the high-profile global summit.

The takeaway

The cancellation of the House delegation to the Munich Security Conference highlights the partisan divide in Congress and the impact of the ongoing DHS shutdown on America's ability to maintain a strong global presence and engage with its international allies. The decision by some Democrats to attend the conference on their own underscores the importance they place on preserving U.S. credibility and leadership on the world stage.