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| Trump Calls Meeting With Military Leaders ‘the Calm Before the Storm’ | Trump Calls Meeting With Military Leaders ‘the Calm Before the Storm’ |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| WASHINGTON — President Trump said late Thursday that a meeting with his military leaders was “the calm before the storm,” but what he meant by his ominous comment remained unclear, both to the press assembled in the room and to members of his own staff. | |
| When pressed for more details, the president said, “you’ll find out,” a declaration that comes amid more turmoil in his own cabinet and several foreign policy challenges around the world. | When pressed for more details, the president said, “you’ll find out,” a declaration that comes amid more turmoil in his own cabinet and several foreign policy challenges around the world. |
| Mr. Trump was speaking ahead of a planned dinner with military leaders and their spouses. Just before the dinner, reporters were ushered into the State Dining Room at the White House. The president addressed the reporters, gesturing to the military officers who flanked him, and said, “You guys know what this represents?” | |
| One reporter asked the president to elaborate. He responded, “Maybe it’s the calm before the storm.” It was when he was asked what he meant that he replied, “You’ll find out.” | One reporter asked the president to elaborate. He responded, “Maybe it’s the calm before the storm.” It was when he was asked what he meant that he replied, “You’ll find out.” |
| The episode raised questions about whether the Trump administration was planning some kind of military action. For weeks, Mr. Trump has been promising to respond to any North Korean aggression toward the United States. | The episode raised questions about whether the Trump administration was planning some kind of military action. For weeks, Mr. Trump has been promising to respond to any North Korean aggression toward the United States. |
| But it was equally plausible that the president was merely being theatrical, using the backdrop of senior military leaders, bedecked with medals and ribbons, to stir up some mischief. Mr. Trump grinned as he spoke, while the commanders stood next to him stoically. Several aides said afterward they had no idea to what he was referring. | |
| Mr. Trump has made a point of saying that he will not telegraph military operations, in the Middle East or East Asia. | |
| The president also faces an Oct. 15 deadline to recertify a nuclear weapons deal with Iran, which was negotiated under former President Barack Obama. The president is expected to decline to recertify the agreement, which would essentially allow Congress to decide whether to reimpose economic sanctions. | The president also faces an Oct. 15 deadline to recertify a nuclear weapons deal with Iran, which was negotiated under former President Barack Obama. The president is expected to decline to recertify the agreement, which would essentially allow Congress to decide whether to reimpose economic sanctions. |
| Backing out of this deal could cause problems with other world powers who are party to it, at a tense time with another nation aspiring to build nuclear weapons: North Korea. | Backing out of this deal could cause problems with other world powers who are party to it, at a tense time with another nation aspiring to build nuclear weapons: North Korea. |
| In his remarks to senior military leaders before the dinner, Mr. Trump outlined the challenges facing the United States. | In his remarks to senior military leaders before the dinner, Mr. Trump outlined the challenges facing the United States. |
| “We have had challenges that we really should have taken care of a long time ago, like North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan, ISIS and the revisionist powers that threaten our interests all around the world,” Mr. Trump said, using the acronym for the Islamic State. “Tremendous progress has been made with respect to ISIS, and I guess the media is going to be finding out about that over the next short period of time.” | “We have had challenges that we really should have taken care of a long time ago, like North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan, ISIS and the revisionist powers that threaten our interests all around the world,” Mr. Trump said, using the acronym for the Islamic State. “Tremendous progress has been made with respect to ISIS, and I guess the media is going to be finding out about that over the next short period of time.” |