Trump's foreign trip dogged by investigation headlines again
President Trump has embarked on nine foreign trips while in office and almost all of them have been overshadowed by headlines back home related to the Russia investigation.
Robert Mueller's appointment just days before the president’s first overseas trip in 2017, and Thursday’s news of former Trump attorney Michael Cohen cooperating with the special counsel are just two examples. Here’s a look at the different visits and the domestic drama that has followed this president abroad.
May 20 – 27, 2017: Saudi Arabia, Israel, West Bank, Vatican, Belgium, Italy
- Headlines back home: A senior Trump adviser is named as a “person of interest” in possible Russian collusion probe (Jared Kushner) and reports emerge on Trump’s Oval Office meeting with the Russians where he reportedly called Comey a “nut job.”
- Context: Comey had just been fired the week before (May 9) and Mueller was appointed soon after by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein (May 17).
July 5 – 8, 2017: Poland and Germany (G-20)
- Headlines back home: The New York Times reports on Donald Trump Jr.’s involvement in the Trump Tower meeting with Russians in June of 2016.
- Context: The infamous statement defending Donald Trump Jr. and the meeting (which was factually incorrect) was crafted on the Air Force One flight back to Washington.
July 13 – 14, 2017: France (Bastille Day)
- Headlines back home: Reports on the continued fallout from Trump Jr.'s involvement in the Trump Tower meeting, which included the emails sent to set up the meeting with the Russians (July 11).
November 5 – 14, 2017: Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, Philippines
- Headlines back home: Paul Manafort, Rick Gates and George Papadopolous were charged by Mueller days before the trip in first major development in the Russia investigation (Oct 31).
January 25 – 26, 2018: Switzerland (Davos)
- Headlines back home: The New York Times reports on Trump ordering Mueller to be fired but then backing off when former White House Counsel Don McGhan threatened to quit (January 25).
June 10 – 12, 2018: Singapore (Kim Summit)
- No significant investigation headlines.
July 10 – 16, 2018: Belgium, UK and Finland
- Headlines back home: Twelve Russians are indicted by Mueller related to hacking of the DNC emails (July 13).
- Context: Rosenstein said he briefed the president on the developments prior to publicly announcing the indictments.
November 9 – 11, 2018: France (Centennial of WWI Armistice)
- No significant investigation headlines.
November 29 – Dec 1, 2018: Argentina (G20)
- Headlines back home: Cohen pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about Trump Tower project in Moscow, cementing official cooperation with Mueller probe
- Context: Trump later cancels a scheduled meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on his way to Buenos Aires, citing rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine.