Congressional staffers planned bipartisan trip with luxury stops in Europe ahead of election

A senior House aide was set to lead congressional staffers on an official trip to Europe featuring stops at a Ferrari factory, luxury goods companies and France’s Champagne region before Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) office abruptly canceled the plans.

The weeklong trip to Italy and France, scheduled for later this month with the midterms just weeks away , was organized as a fact-finding mission to examine the effects of the Trump administration’s tariffs and taxes, NBC News reported Wednesday, citing a draft itinerary.

Following the outlet’s inquiries about the trip, Johnson’s office abruptly canceled it, citing a scheduling conflict.

Curt Beaulieu, Johnson’s senior policy and tax adviser, was tapped to lead the delegation, which was expected to include senior congressional staff from both parties.

The draft schedule showed the group beginning the swing in Vicenza, Italy, where staffers were slated to meet with U.S. military personnel stationed there. From there, the itinerary turned to industries caught up in President Trump’s trade agenda, according to the memo obtained by NBC.

“The purpose of the trip is to engage European and U.S. government and industry officials related to the impact of U.S. tariffs and taxes,” it reads.

The official congressional and staff delegations, also known as CODELs and STAFFDELs, are professional trips made by members of both parties or their staff to meet with global leaders or advocates to better understand a number of issues and build stronger ties.

The delegation planned to tour a Ferrari factory near Bologna, Italy, and a Barilla facility in Parma before heading to Milan or Florence to meet with luxury goods companies. In France, staffers were slated to visit the Champagne region to meet with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development for talks on taxes and trade.

Johnson’s office told NBC that Michelin, L’Oreal Paris and drugmaker Sanofi were also among the companies considered for the itinerary. It also defended the proposed travel, saying congressional staff from both parties routinely visit U.S. allies and trading partners to meet with government and industry officials.

The proposed trip comes as Trump’s tariffs remain at the center of a broader debate over prices and trade ahead of November’s elections.

The president earlier this year threatened a 200 percent tariff on Champagne from France after French President Emmanuel Macron refused an invite to join the White House Board of Peace , which is overseeing the 20-point recovery plan in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas ceasefire .