NATURAL DISASTERS/POLAND/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Elaborate military escorts stood ready. Chefs were at work on a grand state dinner at the Royal Castle. A concert was cued up for television and radio broadcast. The annual commemoration of the outbreak of World War II was even moved from Gdansk to Warsaw, where crowds would be bigger. Poland’s governing party had carefully choreographed a day of pomp and ceremony to welcome President Trump this weekend — a powerful reminder to its own people, just six weeks before national elections, of the strong bond between the government and Trump administration. Except that he will not be here. Mr. Trump announced on Thursday [8-29-19] that he would remain in the United States to monitor an impending hurricane, forecast to hit Florida next week, and send Vice President Mike Pence in his place. It was a blow to the leadership in Warsaw, which hoped to use the moment to bolster its standing and deflect criticism that it is undermining the nation’s Constitution.”
–Marc Santora, “Poland Had the Royal Castle Ready. Then Trump Canceled His Trip.,” The New York Times online, August 30, 2019