Trump embarks on first foreign trip

White House hopeful sojourn will distract from domestic difficulties

WASHINGTON - With turmoil enveloping his administration at home, President Donald Trump was scheduled to head abroad on Friday for a trip the White House hopes will shift focus away from domestic controversies and on to his foreign-policy agenda.

Trump was scheduled to leave for Saudi Arabia on Friday afternoon and will make stops next week in Israel, Belgium and Italy. The trip was billed as a chance to visit places sacred to three of the world's major religions while creating face time with Arab, Israeli and European leaders.

But a political uproar in Washington over Trump's firing of former FBI Director James Comey, allegations that he pressed Comey to stop investigating former national security adviser Michael Flynn, and the subsequent appointment of a special counsel to look into allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 election and potential ties with Trump's campaign threaten to overshadow his trip.

"We look forward to getting this whole situation behind us," the Republican president told a news conference at the White House on Thursday.

The sojourn abroad, his first foreign trip since taking office in January, may or may not help.

Trump is expected to be welcomed warmly by leaders of Saudi Arabia and Israel, but lingering questions over his views on the Iran nuclear deal, commitment to NATO security and skepticism of the Paris climate agreement could generate tension at meetings with European leaders in Brussels and Sicily.

"It's almost always true that when a president goes on a big foreign trip, especially one that has some important summits ... that dominates the news and knocks most other stuff out," said Republican strategist Charlie Black.

"Whether by accident or design, this will help him in terms of Russia news for a while."

'Message of unity'

The White House laid out three purposes for the trip: Reaffirming US leadership globally, building relationships with world leaders and broadcasting "a message of unity to America's friends and to the faithful of three of the world's greatest religions", said national security adviser H.R. McMaster.

"What Trump is seeking is to unite peoples of all faiths around a common vision of peace, progress and prosperity," he said.

Trump generated controversy as a presidential candidate with his call that Muslims be banned temporarily from entering the United States. His administration's proposal to limit travel from several Muslim-majority countries is tied up in court.

McMaster said Trump would deliver a speech in Saudi Arabia expressing hope that a peaceful vision of Islam would resonate worldwide.

Reuters