Well, that was awkward.
Earlier today, President Donald Trump sat with his Veterans Administration Secretary David Shulkin present, and spoke on-camera about a 'big meeting' on issues important to American military veterans. The meeting, Trump explained, would be held not in Washington but at the very convenient Florida location of Mar-a-Lago, the private resort Trump owns, about a thousand miles away
Trump turns to ask Shulkin if he's coming. Shulkin shakes his head. He wasn't invited.
Trump has not met with one veterans group since the election.
Trump: "Major meeting" tonight at Mar-a-Lago to "talk all about the VA"
*turns to VA Sec.*
Will you be there?
*awkwardly shakes head no* pic.twitter.com/Up2tPEIxbO
— Steve Kopack (@SteveKopack) March 17, 2017
Trump asks VA @SecShulkin if he's going to Mar-a-Lago. Shulkin shakes his head. pic.twitter.com/aZyiBC9Gnj
— POLITICO (@politico) March 17, 2017
From the Palm Beach Post, which later updated their story to report that the meeting was later, without explanation, canceled.
The president, speaking at a Veterans Affairs listening session at the White House earlier today with VA Secretary David Shulkin, said the “major meeting” would bring together “some of the people that we put on a board” to address health care issues in the department at his “Southern White House.” It will kick off Trump’s fifth weekend stay in Palm Beach since he took office in January.
Among the members of that group: Marvel Entertainment CEO Ike Perlmutter, a fellow part-time Palm Beacher who supported Trump’s presidential campaign. Perlmutter met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in December.
Can we also acknowledge what a creepy racist dogwhistle 'Southern White House' is to the white supremacists in Trump's administration, and to all of the racists who voted for him?
Something the Klan probably appreciates.
There's one White House. It's in Washington, D.C.
— Gideon Resnick (@GideonResnick) March 18, 2017
Trump to hold meeting tonight at Maralago to discuss the VA. CEO of Marvel will be there. VA secretary will not. https://t.co/nvpmt34jLU
— Catherine Rampell (@crampell) March 17, 2017
Pres. Trump: "You're going to be at that meeting" on the VA?
VA secretary: pic.twitter.com/mzqoeLkGuv
— Micah Grimes (@MicahGrimes) March 17, 2017
Update: WH now says "major meeting" about the VA at the "convenient location" of Mar-a-Lago is cancelled, per PBP -> https://t.co/isuoHbjvlK https://t.co/X01oX1NbaK
— Steve Kopack (@SteveKopack) March 18, 2017