The Latest on President Donald Trump’s visit to Virginia to commission an aircraft carrier (all times local) :
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) – The Latest on President Donald Trump’s visit to Virginia to commission an aircraft carrier (all times local) :
4: 40 p.m.
President Donald Trump is championing what he describes as America’s return to global military prominence.
Trump spoke Saturday at the official commissioning of the aircraft carrier the USS Gerald Ford at Norfolk, Virginia.
The president says there has been “a shortfall in military readiness” and decries “a very, very bad time” for the military” in previous years.
Trump hails the $12.9 billion next-generation aircraft carrier as symbolic of a new era when “everyone will know that America is coming and America is coming strong.”
Earlier this year, Trump gave an interview criticizing the high-tech electromagnetic catapult that is one of the signature innovations of the Ford and expressing a preference for the traditional steam-fueled catapult. He didn’t mention the issue on Saturday.
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3 p.m.
President Donald Trump is having a late lunch with key staff members at his golf club in northern Virginia.
The White House says Trump is dining with chief of staff Reince Priebus (ryns PREE’-bus) , adviser Stephen Miller and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (mih-NOO’-shin) and his wife, Louise.
The three aides and Mnuchin’s wife joined Trump for a quick trip to Norfolk, Virginia, on Saturday. The president participated in the commissioning ceremony for a new aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford
Trump likes to spend time at the club on weekends when he stays in Washington. The White House did not say what he was having for lunch.
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11: 40 a.m.
President Donald Trump is calling on Congress to approve higher military spending so the U. S. can build “the best equipment.”
Trump spoke aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford in Norfolk, Virginia, during the commissioning ceremony for the $12.9 billion state-of-the-art aircraft carrier.
He criticized what he called a lack of investment in new military technology and “a shortfall in military readiness” under the previous administration.
Trump called on Congress “to do its job and pass the budget, ” which increases funding for the military.
The USS Ford is the first member of the next generation of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.
Construction started in 2009 and was to be completed by September 2015 at a cost of $10.5 billion. The Navy blames the delays and budget overruns on the ship’s state-of-the-art systems.
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11: 25 a.m.
President Donald Trump is calling a new state-of-the art aircraft carrier “A 100,000-ton message to the world” of American military might.
Trump spoke Saturday during the commissioning ceremony for the USS Gerald R. Ford in Norfolk, Virginia.
He said: “Wherever this vessel cuts through the horizon our allies will rest easy and our enemies will shake with fear because everyone will know that America is coming and America is coming strong.”
The vessel is the first member of the next generation of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and is named after the country’s 38th president.
Construction started in 2009 and was to be completed by September 2015 at a cost of $10.5 billion. The Navy blames the delays and budget overruns on the ship’s state-of-the-art systems.
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11: 05 a.m.
Former defense secretaries Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney are among a host of officials attending the commissioning ceremony for the USS Gerald R. Ford in Virginia.
President Donald Trump is presiding over the event at which the $12.9 billion state-of-the-art aircraft carrier will be turned over to the Navy. He is joined by the current defense secretary, Jim Mattis.
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and members of Congress from Virginia and Michigan are on hand for the shipboard ceremony.
Ford represented Michigan in Congress. His daughter, Susan Ford Bales, is also attending. She is the ship’s sponsor.
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10: 35 a.m.
President Donald Trump has landed on the deck of the USS Gerald R. Ford for a ceremony to officially turn the aircraft carrier over to the Navy.
Trump was greeted by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and other officials, and huddled with them for several minutes on the steamy deck of the warship docked in Norfolk, Virginia.
Trump flew to the aircraft carrier on the Marine One helicopter, accompanied by chief of staff Reince Priebus, adviser Stephen Miller and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
The USS Ford is the first member of the next generation of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and is named after the country’s 38th president.
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10: 15 a.m.
President Donald Trump has arrived in Virginia to help commission the USS Gerald R. Ford, a $12.9 billion warship that will officially be turned over to the Navy.
Trump will preside over Saturday’s ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk, during which the USS Ford will formally join the fleet. The vessel is the first member of the next generation of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and is named after the country’s 38th president.
Construction started in 2009 and was to be completed by September 2015 at a cost of $10.5 billion. The Navy blames the delays and budget overruns on the ship’s state-of-the-art systems.
The vessel completed sea trials in April but still will go through a battery of tests and workups at sea.
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3: 20 a.m.
President Donald Trump will help commission the USS Gerald R. Ford, a $12.9 billion warship that will officially be turned over to the Navy.
The nation’s commander in chief is traveling to Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia on Saturday to preside over a ceremony during which the USS Ford will formally join the fleet. The vessel is the first member of the next generation of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and is named after the country’s 38th president.
