President Trump and Prime Minister Modi deliver joint remarks to the media at the conclusion of their first bilateral discussion.
Day two of the President Trump and First Lady Melania visit to India holds a very busy schedule including: a welcome ceremony in New Delhi; a tree planting ceremony in New Delhi; a social lunch; a set of bilateral diplomatic meetings; a joint press conference; a business roundtable and a full state dinner.
SCHEDULE
11:10pm ET / 9:40am Local – THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY depart the Grand Presidential Suite of the ITC Maurya en route to Rashtrapati Bhavan, Presidential Palace, New Delhi, India
11:25pm ET / 9:55am Local – THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY arrive at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Presidential Palace, New Delhi, India
11:30pm ET / 10:00am Local – THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY participate in a Welcome Ceremony, New Delhi, India
11:50pm ET / 10:20am Local – THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY depart Rashtrapati Bhavan, Presidential Palace en route to Raj Ghat, New Delhi, India
12:05am ET / 10:35am Local – THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY arrive at Raj Ghat, New Delhi, India
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President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania arrived in Agra just before 5:00pm local (6:30am ET) to take in the view of the Taj Mahal silhouetted against a setting sun.
Our President and First Lady stood watching the beautiful white marble mausoleum located on the bank of the Yamuna River, before walking together along the fountain pool.
As guests of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Trump and First Lady Melania attend the “Namaste Trump Rally” at the massive Motera cricket stadium. The first family was serenaded along the route by artists and floats, depicting India’s diversity.
The massive stadium was filled with an estimated crowd of 125,000. A transcript of President Trump’s speech below.
[Transcript] PRESIDENT TRUMP: Namaste! Namaste. (Applause.) And hello to India. This is such a great honor. Let me begin by expressing my profound gratitude to an exceptional leader, a great champion of India, a man who works night and day for his country, and a man I am proud to call my true friend: Prime Minister Modi. (Applause.)
The First Lady and I have just traveled 8,000 miles around the globe to deliver a message to every citizen across this nation: America loves India, America respects India, and America will always be faithful and loyal friends to the Indian people. (Applause.)
Five months ago, the United States welcomed your great Prime Minister at a giant football stadium in Texas, and today, India welcomes us at the world’s largest cricket stadium right here in Ahmedabad. (Applause.) It is a profound honor to be the beautiful new stadium, to be here with you — Motera Stadium. So beautiful. (Applause.) And joined by so many distinguished guests from all across your nation and all across the world.
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President Trump and First Lady Melania arrive in India for a two-day state visit. The Trumps’ were greeted upon arrival with full pageantry and personal warmth by Prime Minister Modi. WATCH:
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive in India shortly before noon local time (1:10am ET). On arrival at the Ahmedabad airport, the first couple will head straight to Sabarmati Ashram. The Trumps will reach the venue of the “Namaste Trump Rally” at the newly built Motera cricket stadium after being serenaded along the route by artists and floats, depicting India’s diversity. President Trump will deliver a speech at the Namaste Trump welcome rally 1:15pm local / 2:45am ET.
The US President will then leave for Agra, arriving at just before 5:00pm local (6:30am ET) to take in the view of the Taj Mahal silhouetted against a setting sun. Cars are not allowed to be drive down to the Taj, alternative arrangements for Trump remain to be seen. While Prime Minister Modi will accompany Trump to his two venues in Ahmedabad, he will not be around at the Taj. [Livestream Links With Schedule Below]
More will be upcoming soon, including schedule details and links to broadcast events; but with the excitement in India building here’s a quick 24hr livestream as President Trump arrives and India celebrates. It’s all HUGE!!
And now for something completely different. Meme creator @mad_liberals has created a brilliant expanded meme video of Peshwa Warrior President Trump. WATCH:
The White House has provided a great deal of background information on the upcoming trip to India by President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.
WHITE HOUSE – SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Good afternoon, everyone. Thanks to everyone for joining this call. The topic of the call: This is a background briefing with senior administration officials on President Donald J. Trump’s travel to India.
The briefing is embargoed until 2:30 p.m. and it’s offered on background attributed to a “senior administration official.”
Now, for your information only, we have two senior administration officials with us today. We have [senior administration officials].
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U.S. President Donald Trump, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and India Prime Minister Narendra Modi form a trilateral group within President Trump’s Indo-Pacific economic strategy. Essentially a geopolitical alliance based on economic interests.
PM Abe and PM Modi have visited the U.S. several times since the alliance was formed. President Trump has also visited Japan several times but not visited India. (There has been a sticky issue with Modi’s protectionist trade tariffs.) However, today the White House announced President Trump & First Lady Melania will be traveling to India:
[White House] – President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will visit India on February 24 – 25, 2020. The President and The First Lady will travel to New Delhi and Ahmedabad, which is in Prime Minister Modi’s home state of Gujarat and played such an important role in Mahatma Gandhi’s life and leadership of the Indian independence movement.