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The White House and President Trump got a little hot Saturday after announcing that he would not visit a cemetery in France for Americans killed during the First World War because of adverse weather conditions.
Trump arrived in France Friday to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War, alongside the first lady Melania Trump. They had planned to visit the American Cemetery of Ainse-Marne in Belleau, France. The president had to lay a wreath of flowers and observe a minute of silence.
The first couple had to go to the site by helicopter, according to The Hill. But the White House issued a statement, saying the visit had been canceled.
"The trip of the president and the first lady to the American cemetery and American memorial of Ainse-Marne has been canceled due to scheduling problems and logistical problems caused by the weather," the statement said. "An American delegation led by Chief of Staff John Kelly and the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Joe Dunford, will attend the ceremony on their behalf."
The decision provoked negative reactions from two officials who served in previous administrations.
David Frum, speechwriter for former President George W. Bush, spoke to Twitter to slam the movement, insisting that other means of transportation could have been installed in case of bad weather.
"It's not even 60 miles from the center of Paris to the monument. If the weather is too wet and windy for the helicopters, a presidential motorcade could cover the distance in an hour, "said Frum. tweeted. "On the spot, the presidential advance could easily erect a tent to protect the dignitaries (and the presidential hairdresser) from bad weather."
A later tweet says, "Two words: emergency plans. The previous white houses did it.
He also criticized the president's now-canceled visit, calling it "a descent from what any normally patriotic president would wish to do".
"It's amazing that a president travels to France for this important anniversary – and then stays in his hotel room watching television rather than personally paying tribute to the Americans who gave their lives in France for the victory won a hundred years ago tomorrow ", Frum tweeted.
Ben Rhodes, who was assistant advisor for national security in the Obama administration, also disapproved of the cancellation.
Reacting to a Frum tweet, Rhodes wrote, "I helped plan all of President Obama's travels for eight years. There is always a rain option. Always."
Rhodes also reacted to a tweet by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, saying "That's what a true leader does."
Canadian chef shared photos on Twitter from his visit to Vimy Ridge, a battlefield in northern France.
In a Rhodes follow-up tweet, the program change was "a remarkable insult" for veterans and their "allies" who have lost so many millions of people for Trump to fly to Europe to sit down in a hotel room ".
Nicholas Soames – a member of the British Parliament and the grandson of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill, according to The Hill – also tweeted the criticism addressed to the president.
"They died facing the enemy and this pathetic @realDonaldTrump inadequate could not even challenge the time he was doing to pay homage to The Fallen #hesnotfittorepresenthisgreatcountry," tweet I said.
The visit to the cemetery was to take place after the meeting between Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron earlier in the day.
Matt Leach, Adam Shaw, Lukas Mikelionis and Fox News Associated Press contributed to this report.
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