On his way to Cairo for a Middle East tour, Vice President Mike Pence shook hands and chatted with U.S. service members Saturday during a stop to refuel Air Force Two at Shannon Airport in Ireland.
Pence is to visit three Middle East nations.
As the vice president took photos with some of the troops, he brought up the U.S. government shutdown, which began at midnight Friday.
"We'll get this thing figured out in Washington," Pence said. "You guys stay focused on your mission."
Several dozen Air Force personnel were in the airport terminal in transit to assignments overseas. Some troops were based at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado and were headed to Kuwait for a six-month deployment.
Pence said he heard a number of soldiers bring up the shutdown.
"It's disappointing to every American that Democrats in the Senate would shut down the government when we have troops in harms way," he said.
"These soldiers deserve better."
