WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump travels to Arizona on Tuesday to visit the nation's southern border and to rally thousands of supporters in a state where he's trashed both Republican senators.
The two-day trip, which also includes a stop in Reno, Nev., on Wednesday to speak to veterans at an American Legion conference, marks his farthest journey west since taking office in January.
Trump is scheduled to tour a Marine Corps base along the U.S.-Mexico border, watch demonstrations of U.S. Customs drones, a boat and a truck, and meet with Marines.
While at the Marine Corps facility, Trump can renew his vow to build a wall and highlight other tougher immigration policies, a favorite among his supporters. Later, his political rally in Phoenix provides the atmospherics of the campaign trail itself. This will be Trump's eighth political rally since taking office. His 2020 re-election campaign pays for and organizes the events, carefully screening attendees.
Democratic leaders and other Trump opponents plan protests and marches outside the rally to decry his immigration policies and his comments about Charlottesville, Va.
The president touched off a firestorm by saying that "both sides" were to blame for violence that broke out at a rally organized by white supremacists.
Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton had implored the president to postpone the rally to allow time for the country to heal after Charlottesville.
Vice President Mike Pence said Tuesday on Fox News Channel that Trump will be "completely focused" on his agenda for the country.
"But he's also going to call on the Congress to get ready to come back when they arrive on Sept. 5th and go straight to work to make America safe again, make America prosperous again, and in his words to make America great again," said the vice president, who was flying separately to Phoenix to introduce Trump at the rally.
Gov. Doug Ducey, a Trump supporter, will greet Trump as he arrives in Phoenix but will not attend the rally to focus on safety needs, his spokesman said. Neither Sens Jeff Flake nor Sen. John McCain, who is undergoing cancer treatment, will join Trump at his events in the state. Flake has been on tour promoting a book that says the Republican Party's embrace of Trump has left conservatism withering.
Flake has been a frequent target of Trump's wrath. Last week, Trump tweeted that Flake is "toxic" and said it is "great to see" Kelli Ward running against him in the GOP primary for the seat, which is up for re-election next year.
Check back with Arkansas Online for updates on this story and read Wednesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.