President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump depart White House en route to West Palm Beach, Florida and their Mar-a-Lago resort residence where the first family will gather for Thanksgiving.
President Trump delivers remarks to the press pool and answers some questions:
In keeping with modern presidential tradition, President Trump, First-Lady Melania Trump and their son Barron participate in the annual pardon of the Thanksgiving turkey.
Drumstick comes from Minnesota and was raised by 4-H members in Douglas County. President Trump noted that he has overturned many of President Barack Obama’s orders, but said White House counsel advised him he could not overturn Obama’s pardon last year of turkeys Tater and Tot. WATCH:
First Lady Melania Trump and Barron Trump receive the official White House Christmas Tree for 2017; a beautiful 19-and-a-half-foot Balsam fir from Wisconsin that White House officials picked out in September.
Jim and Diane Chapman, owners of a Wisconsin Christmas tree farm, won an annual contest by the National Christmas Tree Association and got to present the tree.
After the first lady and son Barron gave their symbolic approval, the tree will be taken to the Blue Room, where it will become the holiday showpiece -complete with a nativity scene- for a first-family who have vowed to put Christmas back in the center of the winter holidays. WATCH:
The most notable aspect amid President Trump’s granddaughter Arabella delivering a folk song in native Mandarin wasn’t the song itself, it was the response from Madame Peng Liyaun, the wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping. If you haven’t watched the video, you should.
The song was shared moments after President Trump delivered these remarks during a state dinner presented by President Xi and Madame Peng to honor the visit of President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump:
[…] “This moment in history presents both our nations with an incredible opportunity to advance peace and prosperity alongside other nations all around the world. In the words of a Chinese proverb, “We must carry forward the cause and forge ahead into the future.” I am confident that we can realize this wonderful vision.
[…] It is my hope that the proud spirits of the American and Chinese people will inspire our efforts to achieve a more just, secure, and peaceful world, a future worthy of the sacrifices of our ancestors, and the dreams of our children.
In a moment, we will view a video of my granddaughter, Arabella, reciting traditional Chinese songs and poetry about your country’s serene beauty and treasured customs. Our children so often remind us of our shared humanity and true dignity.” (link)
Arabella began her video by saying: “Hello, Grandpa Xi. Hello, Grandma Peng”, and then began to sing a story in Mandarin very familiar to the Chinese people. Exceptionally familiar to Madame Peng Liyaun who, along with being the wife of President Xi, was a folk singer and popular cultural icon herself.
(more…)
In the flight between Da Nang (APEC Summit) and Hanoi, Vietnam, for the official U.S. State visit, President Trump took questions from the traveling press pool and held an impromptu presser aboard Air-Force-One.
[TRANSCRIPT] PRESIDENT TRUMP: Everybody okay? Everybody happy? Everybody healthy? Two more days — no problem.
It’s been a — I think it’s been a great trip. In certain ways, it’s been very epic. I think things have happened that have been really amazing. Prime Minister Abe came up to me just at the end, and he said that since you left South Korea and Japan, that those two countries are now getting along much, much better. That’s from Prime Minister Abe — that there’s been a real bonding between South Korea and Japan. So that was great.
And we had a time in China. You were there. Were most of you there? Jennifer?
♦Q We all were, sir.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: They say in the history of people coming to China, there’s been nothing like that. And I believe it. Did you see the show? Did most of you see the show or part of the show afterwards? It was incredible.
♦Q We saw the opera but not the —
(more…)
First Lady Melania Trump left China and headed to Alaska. She visited military families and children at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and spent time with the kids talking about their activities. The entire base was abuzz with smiling faces:
First Lady Melania Trump visited the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall in China as the sun was starting to settle low on the horizon. It was windy and slightly cold as our First Lady signed a guest registry and was presented with a scroll from atop one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
A state official said that Yukun Zhang, chairman, Mutianyu Great Wall Travel Service Co., Ltd, received the first lady after the ride up on the cable car. After signing the guest registry Mrs. Trump made her way up a short flight of stairs to the Great Wall.
As President Trump heads off to the APEC CEO summit, First Lady Melania Trump took time to visit the Beijing Zoo and see Panda Meng’er. Upon arrival to the Zoo a group of Chinese students were present to welcome Melania and introduce her to Mr. Panda.
At first, Meng’er decided to play coy – but once he saw the First Lady, he appeared to become quite smitten. Apparently, Melania has that impact on boy Pandas mostly.
After a remarkably successful and consequential visit to China, President Trump and First Lady Melania will be departing Beijing today. President Trump travels to Vietnam for the APEC CEO Summit, while First Lady Melania heads back to Washington DC.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend the official state dinner in Beijing China as guests of President Xi Jinping and Madame Peng Liyaun. Video, Pictures and Transcript of President Trump speech below: