Washington, Hanoi (eTruePolitics) – “The President doesn’t enjoy walking,” said White House press secretary Sarah Sanders in denying reports that Mr. Trump had a clandestine tarmac meeting at the Hanoi airport with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov shortly after arriving in Vietnam’s capitol. Russian news said Trump had previously reached out to Lavrov for advice on how best to negotiate with North Korea’s Kim Jong-un at a summit meeting between the two portly leaders designed to reduce tensions between the two countries.
The incident reminded many of the infamous Phoenix airport conversation between Bill Clinton and Attorney General Loretta Lynch during the last presidential campaign while the F.B.I. was investigating then candidate Hillary Clinton’s handling of classified material, except the current president never managed to leave his plane.
“There was no meeting between Minister Lavrov and President Trump,” the formidable Sanders firmly said, refusing to say whether the two had communicated by telephone.
“Mr. Trump doesn’t speak Russian,” Sanders snapped at reporters pressing her on the issue.
In a separate incident, the beleaguered president reportedly refused an offer of a gourmet Vietnamese meal from Hanoi’s Five Star restaurant La Terrasse Du Metropole.
“I don’t eat Chinese,” Trump reportedly said. The response prompted some to question whether the president understood that Vietnam and China are separate countries.
“No chance,” said one White House aide who requested anonymity because he feared for his life.
Photo illustration by Ray Dougela
