Trump is skipping a major Asia-Pacific summit to return home 24 hours earlier
President Trump will spend 12 days in Asia in November, traveling to Japan, South Korea, China, and an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Vietnam, and ending his visit Nov. 13 in Manila to meet with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, a National Security Council spokesman tells Josh Rogin at The Washington Post. But Trump is not traveling the 52 miles from Manila to Angeles to attend an East Asia Summit on Nov. 14 with the leaders of 10 Southeast Asian nations plus Russia, China, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India, and South Korea.
"The president's trip to Asia is extremely lengthy and will be his longest to date — his return to the U.S. on the evening of Nov. 13 is entirely schedule-driven," the NSC spokesman said. "You should not read anything into his being absent on the 14th." But Asian leaders will read a lot into it, Rogin says, viewing it as a lack of interest in the region, multilateral organizations, and using U.S. power to check China's expansive foreign policy. Former President Barack Obama had the U.S. join the East Asia Summit starting in 2009, and he attended every year from 2011 on except during the government shutdown of 2013.
"Multiple administration officials told me there was a lengthy debate inside the Trump administration about the summit," Rogin reports, "but officials close to Trump were concerned the president did not want to stay in the region for so long and worried he could get cranky, leading to unpredictable or undiplomatic behavior." Secretary of State Rex Tillerson may attend in Trump's stead. "Tillerson can sit in the president's seat, but the symbolism of that will be the headline of the day," says Southeast Asia expert Ernest Bower at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Today's political cartoons - April 17, 2024
Cartoons Wednesday's cartoons - political anxiety, jury sorting hat, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Arid Gulf states hit with year's worth of rain
Speed Read The historic flooding in Dubai is tied to climate change
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
USC under fire for canceling valedictorian speech
Speed Read Citing safety concerns, the university canceled a pro-Palestinian student's speech
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Why Johnson won't just pass Ukraine aid
Speed Read The House Speaker could have sent $60 billion in military aid to Ukraine — but it would have split his caucus
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Sudan on brink of collapse after a year of war
Speed Read 18 million people face famine as the country continues its bloody downward spiral
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump's first criminal trial starts with jury picks
Speed Read The former president faces charges related to hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How will Israel respond to Iran's direct attack?
Speed Read Iran’s weekend attack on Israel could escalate into a wider Middle East war
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US, Israel brace for Iran retaliatory strikes
Speed Read An Iranian attack on Israel is believed to be imminent
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Congress honors real-life Rosie the Riveters
Speed Read These American women reshaped the work force during World War II
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Outgunned Ukraine could fall, US general warns
Speed Read Without more US aid, Ukraine is at risk of losing the war
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
House GOP scuttles FISA vote at Trump's urging
Speed Read Right-wing lawmakers blocked Speaker Mike Johnson's surveillance bill
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published