Washington: In the wake of the deadly shooting in Dallas that claimed lives of five policemen, US President Barack Obama would return from his ongoing visit to Europe a day early and visit the city next week, the White House has said.
“The President will return to Washington on Sunday night – one day earlier than planned. The President will no longer travel to Seville (in Spain),” the White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said in a statement yesterday.
“The President has accepted an invitation from Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings to travel to Dallas early next week,” Earnest said, announcing the changes in Obama’s travel plans.
“Later in the week, at the White House, the President will continue the work to bring people together to support our police officers and communities, and find common ground by discussing policy ideas for addressing the persistent racial disparities in our criminal justice system,” Earnest said.
Obama is currently in Warsaw, Poland to attend the NATO summit with top European leaders in the aftermath of Brexit.
Whit his second and final term ending on January 20, 2017, this is probably Obama’s last visit to Europe as the US President.
After attending the NATO summit in Warsaw, Obama was originally scheduled to spend two days in Spain his first visit to this country as the US President. But now, he would spend only a day, and is cancelling his programs of the second day.
“On Saturday, the President will depart for Madrid, Spain, where he will spend the night. The President will participate in meetings with his Spanish counterpart and other government officials on Sunday then travel to Rota as previously scheduled to speak to military personnel serving there,” Earnest said.
PTI
