WASHINGTON (AP) — Kirstjen Nielsen has one hard-earned presidential signing pen.
President Donald Trump used the black marker Wednesday to sign an executive order halting family separations at the U.S. border — then handed it to Nielsen, his Homeland Security secretary.
Such pens are typically framed and displayed in lobbies and office waiting areas all over Washington as trophies of presidential proximity and power. Nielsen’s was tougher to come by than most.
By the time Trump used it to reverse his policy, Nielsen had been both yelled at and praised by Trump and pilloried for repeating his falsehoods.
She was forced to deny that the policy amounted to child abuse. On Tuesday night, she cut short a working dinner at a Mexican restaurant after protesters shouted, “Shame!” until she left.
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