President Trump speaks during an interview with Reuters in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, April 27, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump could still travel to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, next week as planned even if the federal government shuts down at midnight, senior U.S. administration officials said on Friday.

“He could do that pursuant to his constitutional authority to conduct diplomacy,” an official told reporters on a conference call to explain what sort of government activities are allowed to continue in the event of a shutdown.