Trump criticized after White House cancels cemetery visit in France over weather

President Trump faced criticism on Saturday while traveling in France after the White House canceled his trip to a cemetery in the northern part of the country due to bad weather.

The president and first lady Melania Trump were scheduled to take a helicopter to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and Memorial in Belleau, northern France, about 50 miles from where they are staying in Paris.

But the White House announced in a statement Saturday morning that the trip had been canceled “due to scheduling and logistical difficulties caused by the weather.”

White House chief of staff John Kelly and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford planned to visit the cemetery instead, the White House said.{mosads}

Critics of the president were quick to go after his scrapped visit to the World War I memorial, where more than 2,000 soldiers are buried.

“It’s not even 60 miles from central Paris to the monument. If the weather is too wet & windy for helicopters, a presidential motorcade could drive the distance in an hour,” David Frum, a former speechwriter for President George W. Bush, wrote in a Twitter thread.

“It’s incredible that a president would travel to France for this significant anniversary — and then remain in his hotel room watching TV rather than pay in person his respects to the Americans who gave their lives in France for the victory gained 100 years ago tomorrow.”

It’s not even 60 miles from central Paris to the monument. If the weather is too wet & windy for helicopters, a presidential motorcade could drive the distance in an hour.

— David Frum (@davidfrum) November 10, 2018

Ben Rhodes, a political adviser and top speechwriter in the Obama administration, also criticized the White House for not having a contingency in place for bad weather.

“I helped plan all of President Obama’s trips for 8 years. There is always a rain option. Always,” he tweeted.

I helped plan all of President Obama’s trips for 8 years. There is always a rain option. Always. https://t.co/exZNlONQOp

— Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) November 10, 2018

Another former Obama White House staffer, Cody Keenan, also swiped at Trump while tweeting a picture of former President Obama giving a Memorial Day address in the rain while holding an umbrella.

Guess which President didn’t let a little weather stop him from honoring the troops https://t.co/k7uXnZaSB7 pic.twitter.com/cf6hNggpyJ

— Cody Keenan (@codykeenan) November 10, 2018

Others criticizing Trump’s canceled visit Saturday to the war cemetery included Nicholas Soames, a British member of Parliament and grandson of Winston Churchill.

“They died with their face to the foe and that pathetic inadequate @realDonaldTrump couldn’t even defy the weather to pay his respects to The Fallen,” Soames tweeted.

They died with their face to the foe and that pathetic inadequate @realDonaldTrump couldn’t even defy the weather to pay his respects to The Fallen #hesnotfittorepresenthisgreatcountry

— Nicholas Soames (@NSoames) November 10, 2018

The criticism came as several foreign dignitaries were spotted taking part in other ceremonies outside Paris on Saturday, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron. 

11,000 Canadian names on these walls. pic.twitter.com/6vcoF0gdEE

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) November 10, 2018

Unis. pic.twitter.com/a3we7hpKDJ

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) November 10, 2018

Trump is in France for the weekend to commemorate the centennial anniversary of the end of World War I. More than 115,000 Americans died in World War I.

The president’s trip had already become contentious, with Trump knocking what he deemed an “insulting” comment from the French leader.

Moments after touching down in Paris on Friday night, Trump took to Twitter to rip Macron’s call for a “true European army” to combat threats from Russia, China and the U.S.

“President Macron of France has just suggested that Europe build its own military in order to protect itself from the U.S., China and Russia. Very insulting, but perhaps Europe should first pay its fair share of NATO, which the U.S. subsidizes greatly!” Trump tweeted.

President Macron of France has just suggested that Europe build its own military in order to protect itself from the U.S., China and Russia. Very insulting, but perhaps Europe should first pay its fair share of NATO, which the U.S. subsidizes greatly!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 9, 2018

Trump and Macron met on Saturday to discuss defense spending, with Trump voicing displeasure with what he dubbed inadequate funding for NATO from European allies.

“We want to help Europe but it has to be fair. Right now, the burden sharing has been largely on the United States, as the president will say, and he understands that,” Trump said, referring to Macron. “And he understands that the United States can only do so much, in fairness to the United States.”

Trump is scheduled to attend a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe with more than 100 world leaders on Sunday.