Donald Trump Rounds Off Disastrous Armistice Day Weekend With Dubious Cemetery Excuse

Three days including rain, Putin and a topless protestor.
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A weekend of simple, sombre remembrance for the 100-year anniversary of the end of World War One in France turned into yet another public relations disaster for the President of the United States.

Donald Trump was heavily criticised on Saturday after he cancelled a planned visit to honour US soldiers killed in the conflict, apparently because rain had grounded his helicopter.

But after many people, including Barack Obama’s deputy national security adviser, said the President must have had a contingency plan for bad weather, the White House on Sunday night said Trump did not want to disrupt Paris roads with a last-minute motorcade.

The White House Press Secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said: “President Trump did not want to cause that kind of unexpected disruption to the city and its people.”

Trump has caused regular traffic disruption when he travels to his Mar-a-Lago resort to play golf. He has also been known to play golf in the rain.

The traffic excuse was an apt way to round off the weekend – here’s a wrap-up:

Trump can’t honor fallen American heroes in the rain but had no problems playing golf earlier this year in it. pic.twitter.com/4LDUQHQtOU

— Mike Rundle (@flyosity) November 11, 2018

The Misunderstanding

Trump kicked off Armistice Day weekend by falling out with France.

Comments by Trump and French President, Emmanuel Macron, threatened to cast a shadow over events after the US President appeared to misunderstand a comment by his host on Friday.

He tweeted that Macron “has just suggested that Europe build its own military in order to protect itself from the US, China and Russia. Very insulting, but perhaps Europe should first pay its fair share of Nato, which the US subsidises greatly!”

President Macron of France has just suggested that Europe build its own military in order to protect itself from the U.S., China and Russia. Very insulting, but perhaps Europe should first pay its fair share of NATO, which the U.S. subsidizes greatly!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 9, 2018

President Macron’s office said President Trump misunderstood the comments, according to the Press Association.

The Rain

As noted above, Trump’s visit to a US war cemetery was cancelled, ostensibly because of rain.

Though denied by the White House, many people posted images of other world leaders taking on the elements in style – particularly this incredible picture of Obama speaking at a Memorial Day event.

Hey @realDonaldTrump here’s a picture of President Obama in the rain supporting his American troops on Memorial Day. Sad to know you’re too much of a gerber baby to go outside to pay homage to our American hero’s. pic.twitter.com/309elqRiXw

— Zach Dendas (@Zdendas1) November 10, 2018

"As we sit here in the rain, thinking how uncomfortable we must be these minutes as our suits get wet and our hair gets wet and our shoes get wet, I think it's all the more fitting that we remember on that day, in Dieppe, the rain wasn't rain, it was bullets," Justin Trudeau pic.twitter.com/zeqrpceZOI

— Chaz 'Stone Cold Homo' Cooper 🏳️🌈🇨🇦 (@ChazReddBear) November 10, 2018

The Naked Protestor

Trump did receive at least one enthusiastic welcome in France – from a topless Femen protestor, a Ukrainian radical feminist activist group who campaign to protect women’s rights.

The woman ran into the road as the President’s motorcade passed, emblazoned with “Fake Peace”.

Topless female protester runs in front of Trump’s motorcade in Paris with FAKE PEACE written on her body.pic.twitter.com/z4KoypzAmK

— Negar (@NegarMortazavi) November 11, 2018

Police tackled the women and the motorcade continued uninterrupted.

The Russian

Trump was joined in Paris by leaders from around the world – including Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

One picture that did the rounds on social media contrasted the apparent frosty greeting he was given by Macron and Germany’s Angela Merkel, with the warm smile of Trump.

This @reuterspictures pic of Macron, Merkel and Trump's faces as Putin arrives for Armistice Day ceremony is quite something https://t.co/gyt0ZYK93p pic.twitter.com/7SPASUqFQE

— Graeme Demianyk (@GraemeDemianyk) November 11, 2018

Since taking office, Trump has attacked numerous world leaders including the USA’s traditional allies but has yet to say a bad word about Putin.

In fact with few notable exceptions, Trump has had nothing but glowing praise for the Russian President and has made a number of decisions while in office that appear to have been to his benefit.

Most notoriously, Trump has repeatedly put himself at odds with practically the entire US political and security establishment over Russian meddling in the 2016 Presidential Election.

The President has continuously tip-toed around and avoided criticising Putin for interfering in the fundamental democratic processes of the country he is supposed to lead.

The Speech

Macron made a veiled attack on Trump and Putin as he condemned nationalism as a “betrayal of patriotism” in an address to world leaders who at the event in Paris.

With the American and Russian presidents sitting just a few feet away, Macron denounced those who evoke nationalist sentiment to disadvantage others.

“Patriotism is the exact opposite of nationalism: nationalism is a betrayal of patriotism,” Macron said in a 20-minute address delivered from under the Arc de Triomphe.

“By pursuing our own interests first, with no regard to others, we erase the very thing that a nation holds most precious, that which gives it life and makes it great: its moral values.”

Meanwhile, Back In The US...

In California over the weekend, wildfires have killed 31 people, making them the deadliest in state history.

On Saturday Trump appeared to politicise the disaster, blaming it on poor forest management and threatened to cut off financial support.

Those who live in the area condemned the tweet, including singer Katy Perry who branded it “heartless”.

This is an absolutely heartless response. There aren’t even politics involved. Just good American families losing their homes as you tweet, evacuating into shelters. https://t.co/DJ4PN26bLZ

— KATY PERRY (@katyperry) November 10, 2018

The blaze has forced stars including Kim Kardashian West, Will Smith and Denise Richards to leave their homes.

According to US reports, Caitlyn Jenner’s multi-million home which sits in the Malibu hills has been destroyed.

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