Trump and his aides apparently view his post-shootings visit to Dayton and El Paso as 'something of a debacle'


As President Trump prepares for a 10-day stay at his golf resort in New Jersey starting Friday, punctuated early on with a big-dollar fundraiser in New York's Hamptons, nobody in the White House seems happy with Trump's visit Wednesday to Dayton, Ohio, and El Paso, Texas, the cities where two back-to-back shootings over the weekend left 31 victims dead. Trump and some of his aides publicly called the visits a big success, but privately, aides "conceded Thursday that his visits to two cities in mourning did not go as planned," CNN reported Thursday evening. That was already clear by Thursday morning, as New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman told CNN.
The perception got worse as video emerged of Trump bragging falsely about his crowd sizes while visiting victims in the El Paso hospital. "White House officials blocked reporters and their cameras from entering the two hospitals," fearing "a moment like the one that is now going viral," CNN reports, but Trump's social media team released glowing photos and a campaign-style video of the hospital visits afterward, after Trump "lashed out at his staff for keeping the cameras away from him, complaining that he wasn't receiving enough credit."
And on Thursday, reporters confirmed that some of the recovering victims — including an infant whose parents died saving him at the El Paso Walmart — were brought back after being discharged so they could be photographed with Trump, after other patients said they didn't want to meet with the president.
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.
"Multiple staffers agreed behind the scenes that [the trip] wasn't successful from the administration's viewpoint," CNN reports. But "Trump was also unhappy with the visit. He fumed about the coverage on the long flight back to Washington, one person said." Trump "was particularly upset by excerpts from a news conference in Ohio" in which Sen. Sherrod Brown (D), while taking "a mostly respectful tone toward the president," had also said "some people at the hospital had privately said they do not support Mr. Trump," the Times reports. "Trump reacted with fury. As his plane soared toward a restive El Paso, he shouted at aides that no one was defending him."
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.
-
Art Review: Hilma af Klint's What Stands Behind the Flowers
Feature Museum of Modern Art, New York City, through Sept. 27
-
Not just a number: how aging rates vary by country
The explainer Inequality is a key factor
-
'There will be a market incentive to build wind and solar anyway'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump administration releases MLK files
Speed Read Newly released documents on the 1968 assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did not hold any new revelations, King historians said
-
Japan's prime minister feels pressure after election losses
Speed Read Shigeru Ishiba has vowed to remain in office
-
President diagnosed with 'chronic venous insufficiency'
Speed Read The vein disorder has given Trump swollen ankles and visible bruising on his hands
-
'Bawdy' Trump letter supercharges Epstein scandal
Speed Read The Wall Street Journal published details of Trump's alleged birthday letter to Epstein
-
Fed chair Powell in Trump's firing line
Speed Read The president considers removing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell
-
Trump trashes supporters over Epstein files
speed read The president lashed out on social media following criticism of his administration's Jeffrey Epstein investigation
-
Judge nixes wiping medical debt from credit checks
Speed Read Medical debt can now be included in credit reports
-
Grijalva wins Democratic special primary for Arizona
Speed Read She will go up against Republican nominee Daniel Butierez to fill the US House seat her father held until his death earlier this year