Hopes for historic Pacific visit dashed after Biden cancels trip to Papua New Guinea
By NICK PERRY
Associated Press
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Papua New Guinea had declared next Monday a public holiday in anticipation of an historic visit by U.S. President Joe Biden. Security was being tightened, billboards were going up and people were getting ready to sing and dance in the streets. Expectations were high for what would have been the first visit by a sitting U.S. President to any Pacific Island nation. Other leaders from around the region were coming. Those expectations were dashed Wednesday when Biden canceled the trip to focus on the debt limit talks at home. Biden also scrapped a planned trip to Australia.