"The endless motorcades and wail of sirens in Washington this week made it seem as if the President were travelling non-stop around the city, or receiving a bevy of foreign dignitaries. As it happened, it was National Police Week, and the ceremonial convoys were carrying the families of police officers, from around the country, who had been killed in the line of duty. Donald Trump was leaving for China. Some supporters expressed concern for his safety."
"Sebastian Gorka, Trump's counterterrorism chief, announced that Trump kept a letter in the Resolute Desk in which, in the President's words, he provided "very firm instructions" for what Vice-President J. D. Vance should do if a foreign nation like China were to "take him out.""
"On Tuesday evening, on the steps of the Capitol, House members made their way down the stairs after casting their votes, some alone, others flanked by staff or trailed by a Hill reporter. A line of cars had materialized to collect them; it was like a school-pickup line. "How was your recess?" I heard someone ask. (Congress was on break last week.) "Where do you normally pick the congresswoman up?" a staffer said into her phone, trying to find her boss's driver. One member lit a cigar."
"Air Force One took off from Joint Base Andrews, carrying Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Stephen Miller, Sean Hannity, and Elon Musk, among others accompanying the President to a two-day summit with China's President, Xi Jinping."
Washington’s sirens and motorcades created the impression of constant presidential travel, but the convoys were tied to National Police Week and carried families of police officers killed in the line of duty. Trump departed for China for a two-day summit with Xi Jinping, prompting some supporters to express concern about his safety. Sebastian Gorka said Trump kept a letter in the Resolute Desk with “very firm instructions” for Vice-President J. D. Vance on what to do if a foreign nation like China were to “take him out.” Day-to-day routines continued in Washington, including House members leaving the Capitol after votes, staff coordinating pickups, and members smoking cigars. Air Force One carried Trump and several senior officials and prominent figures to the summit.
#us-politics #presidential-travel #china-summit #national-police-week #security-and-counterterrorism
Read at The New Yorker
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]