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March 8 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence turned down an invitation from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the annual St. Patrick's Day lunch on Captiol Hill. White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere cited Pelosi as the reason the president and vice president would skip the traditional bipartisan celebration of the holiday set to take place on Thursday, Politico reported.
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"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 on March 12," said Deere.
Deere added that the president was anticipating a visit from Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar for the annual Shamrock Bowl presentation in celebration of St. Patrick's Day.
The absence of Pence and Trump would mark the first time neither the president nor vice president have attended the lunch since it's founding.
Pelosi's deputy chief of staff, Drew Hammill, condemned the Trump administration for the snub.
"There has never been stronger support in the Congress and in the country for the U.S.-Ireland bilateral relationship," said Hammill. "One would think that the White House could set petty, partisan politics aside for this historic occasion."
