President Trump has returned to the United States after a 29-hour journey to Iraq and Germany. Politico’s Playbook reports this morning that “Trump stopped for a quick visit to Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany, where he met with Air Force leaders based there, according to Time magazine’s Brian Bennett, who was part of the pool for the president’s trip to Iraq and Germany.” Politico passes on Bennet’s pool report:
— FROM THE RAMSTEIN POOL REPORT, sent last night at 9:03 p.m. Eastern: “President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump entered a large [hangar] where hundreds of service members were arranged in a large semi circle to greet the president. ‘Hello folks,’ Trump said, stretching out his arms. He was wearing his signature long red tie and a black overcoat. The First Lady was in black and white sneakers, a black bomber jacket and olive green pants. A few troops in uniform had brought red hats and held them as POTUS and FLOTUS shook hands and greeted troops. Pool was ushered out into a van after 15 minutes. …
“POTUS and FLOTUS spent about 45 minutes greeting troops in the hangar at Ramstein, Germany. Pool was pulled out after 15 minutes to load in a press van. Toward the end of President Trump’s time with the troops, pool could see through the windows POTUS speaking into a microphone, also could hear cheers. Pool was not ushered back into the room so didn’t hear any remarks. The First Lady spoke too. Pool was told the remarks were not planned. We are rolling at 9:28 pm ET / 3:28 pm local.”
I’m going to go out on a limb and say the troops were happy to see the president and the First Lady. Sarah Sanders tweeted the photo below from Ramstein.
Happening Now – President @realDonaldTrump and @FLOTUS meet with Troops at Ramstein Air Base. pic.twitter.com/myDcyFIQde
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) December 27, 2018
I am not sure what to make of this, also passed on by Politico from the pool report sent Air Force 1:
— TRUMP on AF1 about SYRIA and ISRAEL, per Brian Bennett: “I spoke with Bibi. I told Bibi, you know we give Israel $4.5 billion a year. And they are doing very well at defending themselves. … We’ll always be there for Israel. … So that’s the way it is, we are going to take great care of Israel. Israel is going to be good. We give Israel 4.5 billion a year. And we give frankly a lot more than that if you look at the books. They’ve been doing a good job.”
I am afraid it portends the coming of a peace plan, but we shall see.
Sarah Sanders also caught this from the president’s stop at Al Asad; it probably won’t be highlighted in the news today:
Powerful moment – Member of United States Army told the President he came back into the military because of him. And President Trump responded, “And I am here because of you.” I met him after and he gave me the patch from his arm. Incredible. #TrumpTroopsVisit pic.twitter.com/WmQf3b2K8X
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) December 26, 2018
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