President Trump is facing backlash after calling off a visit to a World War I memorial cemetery on Saturday because of the rain.
Trump is currently in France, commemorating 100 years since the end of World War I. He and the First Lady were scheduled to visit the Aisne-Marne American cemetery in Belleau and participate in a wreath-laying ceremony. The cemetery is located on the site of a World War I battle, in which Americans and French forces battled German force in 1918, killing over 1,800 Americans troops.
According to NBC, the White House cited “scheduling and logistical difficulties caused by the weather,” as the reason for the cancellation and instead sent Chief of Staff John Kelly and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joe Dunford.
Many found the reasoning as a weak excuse to not attend.
In a tweet, Nicholas Soames, the grandson of Winston Churchill, called Trump “pathetic” for not traveling in the rain to pay respects.
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
Ben Rhodes, a former aide to President Barack Obama who claimed to help plan all the trips during his presidency, lashed out at Trump, calling him “pathetic, disgraceful and embarrassing.” Rhodes added that there is always a rain option at these types of events.
I helped plan all of President Obama’s trips for 8 years. There is always a rain option. Always. https://t.co/exZNlONQOp
— Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) November 10, 2018
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel did not let the bad weather stop them from attending memorials in different parts of 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
