July 22 (UPI) -- U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi hinted that the Pentagon expressed concern her plane "would get shot down" by the Chinese if she makes a rumored visit to Taiwan this summer.

The California Democrat is planning a trip to the self-governing island next month, a report in the Financial Times earlier this week claimed, drawing an angry response from Beijing.

Pelosi refused to confirm the trip during a weekly press conference Thursday, saying "I don't ever discuss my travel plans."

"You never even hear me say if I'm going to London, because it is a security issue," she said.

Pelosi was asked about a comment by U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday that the military "thinks it's not a good idea" that she travel to the island of 23 million.

"I think what the President was saying is -- maybe the military was afraid our plane would get shot down or something like that by the Chinese," Pelosi responded.