President Trump will spend Veterans Day in France after the failure of his plan to host a grand military parade in the nation’s capital, the White House confirmed Friday, followed by a visit to Ireland and South America.
Trump recently abandoned plans for the military parade, and blamed his decision on local officials for placing a high price tag on the controversial event. Trump asked the Pentagon to plan the parade through D.C. after witnessing French Bastille Day ceremonies during his first year in office.
Veterans Day falls on Nov. 11, the anniversary of the end of World War I, known internationally as Armistice Day. Trump initially announced his plan to visit France in a pair of mid-August tweets canceling the parade.
“The President’s participation in this event will highlight the sacrifices that Americans have made, not only during World War I but also in the century since, in the name of liberty,” the White House said in a statement Friday.
After visiting France, Trump will visit Ireland “to renew the deep and historic ties between our two nations,” the White House said.
The White House bundled the announcement with a planned trip to South America, where Trump will take part in the G20 economic summit in Argentina.
“The G20 Summit will be an opportunity for the President to highlight his pro-growth economic policies on an international stage and meet bilaterally with other key world leaders,” the White House release said.
After visiting Argentina, Trump “will also travel to Colombia, where he looks forward to discussing with the Duque administration opportunities for even greater collaboration on security, counter narcotics, and regional affairs,” the White House said.
