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Melania Trump to meet Prince Harry, Trudeau on solo trip to Canada

Melania Trump is Canada-bound for her first solo foreign trip as first lady, traveling to Toronto to lead the US delegation to the Invictus Games on Saturday. D...
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Melania Trump is Canada-bound for her first solo foreign trip as first lady, traveling to Toronto to lead the US delegation to the Invictus Games on Saturday.

During a whirlwind day trip, Trump is expected to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Great Britain’s Prince Harry, and attend the opening ceremony of the games before returning to Washington.

“In just two short years, the Invictus Games have allowed thousands of injured and wounded servicemen and women from many different countries to participate in adaptive sports competitions — something that should be lauded and supported worldwide. I am honored by the opportunity to represent our country at this year’s games,” Trump said in a statement about the trip.

The US delegation also includes Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin and Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan, as well as US Embassy Ottawa Chargé d’Affaires Elizabeth Moore Aubin, Gold Star mother Karen Kelly, professional golfer Nancy Lopez and entertainer Wayne Newton.

The Invictus Games were started in 2014 by Prince Harry, who was inspired to build global awareness for servicemen and women injured in combat. During the games, hundreds of participants compete in para-Olympic style activities, such as swimming, cycling, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby. Seventeen different countries are taking part in this year’s challenge.

Trump has already made visits to several countries as first lady with husband President Donald Trump. In May, she visited Saudi Arabia, Israel, Belgium and Italy. In July, she was by the President’s side in Poland and Germany, and made a quick trip to France for Bastille Day celebrations.

Trump will be following in the footsteps of former first lady Michelle Obama, who, with Prince Harry, kicked off the 2016 Invictus Games in the host city of Orlando.

A CNN poll released this week found that the first lady’s star is rising: 44% of respondents had a favorable opinion of Melania Trump, while 35% had an unfavorable view. Her husband, by contrast, has a 41% favorable/57% unfavorable rating.

While the first lady kept a low profile since moving into the White House in June, she has ramped up her public appearances in recent weeks, hosting a dinner for the White House Historical Association last week, visiting with children at Andrews Air Force Base, and traveling to Hurricane-ravaged Texas and Florida with the President in the wake of the two devastating storms.

On Wednesday, Trump assumed the spotlight in New York, hosting a luncheon for spouses of foreign leaders at the US Mission to the United Nations, where she delivered remarks on children’s issues. And on Friday, she showed off the White House Kitchen Garden, hosting a group of children and helping with the fall harvest.

 

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