Rep. Michael McCaul told NBC News that he and Chair Gregory Meeks were invited among a small group of lawmakers to join the trip. The Republican congressman added that he declined Pelosi’s invitation because of a conflicting personal obligation.
McCaul said that the trip, which is planned during the congressional August recess, would serve as political deterrence to China, but Pelosi should be mindful of military repercussions.
Neither Pelosi’s spokesperson or the White House has confirmed her trip, which would make the speaker the highest-ranking American politician to visit Taiwan since 1997. US President Joe Biden said he was warned by military officials that the trip was inadvisable. Beijing has warned of a strong response if the speaker decides to move forward.
The US and China are both preparing for a potential military response, The South China Morning Post reported. The USS Ronald Reagan and its strike group left Singapore on Monday, heading toward the South China Sea, while satellite imagery indicates that China is building up its aerial deployment in the area.