JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (AP) — President Donald Trump stopped in Hawaii on Friday on the eve of his first official visit to Asia.
Trump arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam after a daylong flight from Washington. He departs Saturday for Japan, the first stop on the five-nation, 11-day Asia journey.
Trump quickly donned a lei, or wreath of flowers, after getting off of Air Force One with first lady Melania Trump. He greeted a group of people that was assembled for his arrival, signing autographs and giving high-fives to kids.
But Trump wasn’t the only attraction to arrive at the base. A few in the crowd shouted for White House chief of staff John Kelly.
“We love you Gen. Kelly,” one person shouted at the retired four-star Marine general, who is among senior White House aides traveling with Trump.
In Hawaii, Trump was huddling with leaders of the U.S. Pacific Command, which oversees U.S. military operations in the region. A key discussion topic likely will be the growing nuclear threat from North Korea, a crisis that will shadow Trump’s entire trip.
He’ll also meet with the governors of Alaska, Hawaii and Pacific U.S. territories — all potential targets of a successful attempt by North Korea to strike the U.S. with a nuclear-tipped missile.
Trump will also tour the USS Arizona Memorial, part of the Pearl Harbor site dedicated to the attack that drew the U.S. into World War II.