Trump Avoids Major Slips On International Religious Tour
By heading straight to the homelands of Islam, Judaism and Christianity on his first presidential trip, Donald Trump took a major risk. The possibility of offending his hosts somewhere along the way with an ill-considered tweet or offhand remark loomed large. Saudi Arabia, Israel and the Vatican are places where appearances matter and words must be chosen carefully.
"This was a kabuki dance through a minefield," said Chris Seiple, who has written extensively on religion and foreign policy. "Any president would have difficulty handling it, given all the different perspectives and all the ways it could go wrong."
During his presidential campaign, Trump and by on Muslim immigration. saw signs of anti-Semitism in his campaign imagery and in the comments of some of his aides and followers. Pope Francis suggested that anyone who called for the construction of a border wall to deter immigration, as Trump did, "."
