{"id":55249,"date":"2018-11-20T17:20:13","date_gmt":"2018-11-20T17:20:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/11\/20\/is-trump-planning-his-first-trip-downrange\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T09:18:23","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T09:18:23","slug":"is-trump-planning-his-first-trip-downrange","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2018\/11\/20\/is-trump-planning-his-first-trip-downrange\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Trump planning his first trip downrange?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 President Donald Trump has begun discussing his first trip to an overseas combat zone, according to a report in the Washington Post<\/a> this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump\u2019s lack of time with troops downrange<\/a> has become another lingering controversy for the White House, which over the last two years has cast itself as a friend and fierce defender of the military.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But critics have pointed out that almost two years into his tenure as commander in chief<\/a>, Trump has yet to make a visit to Afghanistan, Iraq or any other combat zone, breaking with tradition set by his predecessors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Associated Press, Trump told reporters Tuesday he was \u201cgoing to a war zone\u201d when he responded to a question about his support for the troops. He did not say when he would be making the trip or to which conflict area he would be going. An official said a White House team recently returned from beginning to plan for a visit, the AP reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\t