US President Donald Trump arrived Monday in Japan where he’ll meet new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for the first time. She’s a protege of late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who Trump bonded with over their shared love of golf.
Trump spent Sunday in Malaysia, where he participated in a regional summit. His focus in Asia has undoubtedly been trade and his desire to realign the international economy in his vision of “America first.” A trade deal between the U.S. and China is drawing closer, officials from the world’s two largest economies said Sunday as they reached an initial consensus for Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to aim to finalize during their high-stakes meeting.
Trump’s trip comes as the U.S. government shutdown drags on. Many federal workers are set to miss their first full paycheck this week, there are flight disruptions as already-squeezed air traffic controllers work without pay, and states are confronting the possibility that federal food aid could dry up. As Republicans reject Democratic demands for health care funds, there’s no sign of a break in the impasse.
