Trump draws fire for not going to WWI cemetery due to rain
US President Donald Trump has come under attack after he cancelled a visit to a World War I memorial cemetery in France on Saturday because of the rain.
Trump, who flew to Paris to commemorate 100 years since the end of World War I, was due to visit the Aisne-Marne American cemetery in Belleau located on the site of a World War I battle.
During that battle, in which Americans and French forces fought German forces in 1918, over 1,800 Americans troops were killed.
However, Trump called off the visit with the White House citing “scheduling and logistical difficulties caused by the weather” as the reason for the cancellation.
Chief of Staff John Kelly and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joe Dunford were instead sent to the ceremony which was attended by other world leaders.
This triggered backlash from many who described the reasoning as a weak excuse to not attend the event.
Former Secretary of State John Kerry said in a tweet that Trump "didn’t bother to honor" the veterans.
President @realDonaldTrump a no-show because of raindrops? Those veterans the president didn’t bother to honor fought in the rain, in the mud, in the snow - & many died in trenches for the cause of freedom. Rain didn’t stop them & it shouldn’t have stopped an American president.
— John Kerry (@JohnKerry) November 11, 2018
Nicholas Soames, the grandson of Winston Churchill, also called Trump “pathetic” for his decision.
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, described Trump as “pathetic, disgraceful and embarrassing.”
In another provocative move, Trump caused anger after he used the word “celebrate” in his tweet about how he was marking the anniversary.
I am in Paris getting ready to celebrate the end of World War One. Is there anything better to celebrate than the end of a war, in particular that one, which was one of the bloodiest and worst of all time?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 10, 2018
Many people took to Twitter and criticized Trump for his choice of word, saying he should have used other words like "commemorate" or "honor."
Your ignorance is breathtaking. It’s not a celebration, you stupid buffoon, it’s a commemoration to mark the end of a slaughter and to remember the lives that were lost in a conflict which had the aim of Imperial domination by an autocrat such as yourself.
— Nemo - PROTECT MUELLER! (@BigFurryNemo) November 10, 2018
Sir, what you are doing is to commemorate. The celebration ended way back in 1918...
— John Ogola (@jjogola) November 10, 2018
Please don’t celebrate it. It’s an act of remembrance and commemoration.
— Pete Flynn (@PeteFlynn5) November 10, 2018
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