The Navy took pains to make sure Trump didn't notice the U.S.S. John McCain during his Japan trip, @wsj reports https://t.co/a7CKwJEnPl pic.twitter.com/efIpz66bdm
— Alex Fitzpatrick (@AlexJamesFitz) May 29, 2019
Can’t find it now, but someone on twitter quipped, It’s never a good thing when the President’s advance team brings a tarp to a battleship…
Per the Washington Post, “White House wanted USS John S. McCain obscured during Trump’s Japan visit”:
… A senior Navy official confirmed he was aware someone at the White House sent a message to service officials in the Pacific requesting that the USS John McCain be kept out of the picture while the president was there. That led to photographs taken Friday of a tarp obscuring the McCain name, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.
When senior Navy officials grasped what was happening, they directed Navy personnel who were present to stop, the senior official said. The tarp was removed on Saturday, before Trump’s visit, he added.
The White House request was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
The crew of the McCain also was not invited to Trump’s visit, which occurred on the USS Wasp. But a Navy official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said it was because the crew was released from duty for the long holiday weekend, along with sailors from another ship, the USS Stethem.
A senior White House official also confirmed that they did not want the destroyer with the McCain name seen in photographs. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said the president was not involved in the planning, but the request was made to keep Trump from being upset during the visit…
Some poor bastid is gonna end up in the barrel because their superiors were terrified of offending the delicate sensibilities of a draft-dodging braggart.
Brought to you by the people who berate kneeling NFL players for “disrespecting the troops.” https://t.co/ArCtOQ1Dk7
— Rita Konaev (@RitaKonaev) May 30, 2019
Even Trump knows this is a God-awful look. it will be ironic if he goes ballistic on his staff for taking steps to avoid him going ballistic. pic.twitter.com/jWgM6PJcbI
— Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) May 30, 2019
When they run the government like a business. pic.twitter.com/QhndSniQD2
— Eric Columbus (@EricColumbus) May 30, 2019
Arclite
Sounds more like staff preemptively preventing a meltdown. When you work for Trump, it’s lose-lose.
plato
Aren’t the militarily types supposed to be brave and not act as cowardly stooges?
Martin
Salutes North Korean generals and is embarrassed by US warships. Good job everyone.
plato
Also, too.
opiejeanne
I can’t find it now but on twitter earlier there was an account that’s been inactive for several years come to life to deny that this happened at all. He’s getting a lot of pushback.
Found it. Posted by Navy Chief of Information @chinfo.
patrick II
“I was not informed” is Trump’s secret service code name.
“Me either” is Pence’s.
Steve in the ATL
Can’t decode if this is more pathetic or embarrassing.
Tom Levenson
If anyone’s interested: I just pulled a post I hit “publish” on in haste. I didn’t want to get in the middle of the usual morning fare, so I’ll be reposting later in the day. The hope is to fill in some of midday-afternoon lull.
Sorry to those two who commented before I pulled it.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Steve in the ATL: Both.
raven
“When senior Navy officials grasped what was happening, they directed Navy personnel who were present to stop, the senior official said. The tarp was removed on Saturday, before Trump’s visit, he added.”
OzarkHillbilly
@Tom Levenson: Whew, that was close. Getting between the AM jackalariat and AL’s morning post is bound to end with blood.
OzarkHillbilly
@Steve in the ATL: Speaking of pathetic and embarrassing: US energy department rebrands fossil fuels as ‘molecules of freedom’
Steve in the ATL
@OzarkHillbilly: Jesus fucking Christ.
RAVEN
I have to figure out whether to spring my little 20th anniversary gift when I wake her up or wait till she wanders out into the kitchen??
OzarkHillbilly
@RAVEN: Congrats.
raven
@OzarkHillbilly: I saw a FB post that said “Thank god my wife has poor taste in men”!
OzarkHillbilly
@raven: My wife likes to say, “I married a frog. He’s still a frog.”
Raven
Oui!
Gin & Tonic
@RAVEN: Congrats. No anniversary for me here, but she’s snoring peacefully (has a cold) while I can’t sleep. Don’t like waking up this early.
Argiope
@RAVEN: I’m thinking coffee first. Let the dreamscape fade so she can fully grasp your thoughtfulness. Unless she always springs from bed fully alert. Congratulations, you crazy kids!
Uncle Cosmo
@OzarkHillbilly: But do you still have your legs, mon petit grenouille?
J R in WV
@RAVEN:
Congratulations on 20 good years.
Our 48th was a week or so ago, but we’ve been hooked up since summer of ’69, so 50 years in June IIRC.