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| Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaking in the rain |
Donald Trump flew to France to observe the 100th anniversary of the signing of the World War One armistice with other world leaders, but is getting backlash for his decision to skip a memorial service at a U.S. cemetery there due to rain.
According to sources, rain is something that's always planned for when it comes to presidential travel.
From Reuters:
Ben Rhodes, who served as deputy national security adviser for strategic communications under President Barack Obama, said the excuse about the inclement weather did not stand up.
“I helped plan all of President Obama’s trips for 8 years,” he wrote on Twitter. “There is always a rain option. Always.”
Despite the light rain, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel held a moving ceremony in Compiegne, northeast of Paris, to mark the 100th anniversary of the signing of the World War One armistice.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended his own ceremony to pay tribute to Canadian troops killed at Vimy Ridge, on the battlefields of northeastern France.
Trump cancelled attending a WW1 memorial at a U.S. cemetery in France because of some rain on Saturday, but Merkel, Macron and Trudeau managed to do their bit https://t.co/VB06gMKzJa pic.twitter.com/U15cwHiN8f— Luke Baker (@BakerLuke) November 10, 2018
Trudeau threw some none-too-subtle shade Trump's way as he spoke at Vimy Ridge, dropping his umbrella as the rain came down saying, "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."
"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
Today, I joined our delegation of Canadian veterans at Vimy Ridge — to thank them for their service and to pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of our freedom.— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) November 10, 2018
We will never forget.#CanadaRemembers pic.twitter.com/txn66KcnDM
Theresa May , Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron and Justin Trudeau all paid respects.— Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) November 10, 2018
Trump absence because of bad weather looks more awkward in photos: pic.twitter.com/YlJNapmWMF
Nicholas Soames, a British member of parliament who is a grandson of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill, tweeted,“They died with their face to the foe and that pathetic inadequate @realDonaldTrump couldn’t even defy the weather to pay his respects to The Fallen #hesnotfittorepresenthisgreatcountry.“
They died with their face to the foe and that pathetic inadequate @realDonaldTrump couldn’t even defy the weather to pay his respects to The Fallen #hesnotfittorepresenthisgreatcountry— Nicholas Soames (@NSoames) November 10, 2018
Veterans group VoteVets also found the rain excuse less than compelling tweeting, "Donald Trump complained about having to stand in the rain, to speak about the massacre in Pittsburgh, because it messed his hair up (more). Today, he will skip honoring fallen American heroes of WWI, and stay in his hotel room, because of some rain."
Donald Trump complained about having to stand in the rain, to speak about the massacre in Pittsburgh, because it messed his hair up (more).— VoteVets (@votevets) November 10, 2018
Today, he will skip honoring fallen American heroes of WWI, and stay in his hotel room, because of some rain.#VeteransDayWeekend
And former U.S. Ambassador Nicholas Burns wrote, "Did the President really not visit the American military cemetery today in France? It is his duty to honor our soldiers who fought in 1917-18. Astonishing."
Did the President really not visit the American military cemetery today in France? It is his duty to honor our soldiers who fought in 1917-18. Astonishing. https://t.co/58noTz4Fa3— Nicholas Burns (@RNicholasBurns) November 10, 2018
As Macron and Merkel commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of WW1, Trump sits in a hotel room. He can grab himself anywhere he wants because he’s one huge complete and utter pussy.— Rob Reiner (@robreiner) November 10, 2018
Few places move me more, connect me more to the sacrifice and service that have made our country possible, than battlefield cemeteries. The ages of the dead, mostly oh so young. The price of freedom high. I’m saddened the President has chosen not to pay his respects in France.— Dan Rather (@DanRather) November 10, 2018
Headline today is Trump calls off US military cemetery visit due to bad weather. Meanwhile, Obama, Memorial Day, 2010. Better, stronger in every way 👇. pic.twitter.com/IgtQi2GvlO— Scott Hechinger (@ScottHech) November 10, 2018
