Former President Barack Obama arrived Wednesday for a three-day visit to New Zealand, where he will speak with community leaders, meet the prime minister and play golf.
Former President of The United States Barack Obama prepares to board a helicopter in Auckland, New Zealand, Wednesday, March 21, 2018. (Brett Phibbs/New Zealand Herald via AP)
The sessions will be closed to the public and media except for an official welcome ceremony Thursday. Obama does not plan to answer questions from reporters.
Former presidents often choose to keep a relatively low public profile to avoid undermining sitting presidents. Still, the lack of public engagement has frustrated some in the South Pacific nation, who are eager to hear Obama's thoughts on his time in the White House and the turbulent presidency of Donald Trump.
Obama said in a statement that he had long wanted to visit New Zealand given its close friendship with the U.S.
Former President of The United States Barack Obama waves as he prepares to board a helicopter in Auckland, New Zealand, Wednesday, March 21, 2018. (Brett Phibbs/New Zealand Herald via AP)
New Zealand's former prime minister John Key helped organize the visit. Key said he'd formed a good relationship with Obama after eight years together at events like the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. The pair also golfed together in Hawaii.
"I was kind of like the bait out there saying, 'Hey, come and play a couple of courses,'" Key told Television New Zealand. "And, obviously, he's doing other things while he's here."
The former president plans to participate in an Obama Foundation event with rising indigenous Maori women leaders and give a moderated talk to regional and business leaders.
"There's probably been a bit of frustration of 'Why can't everyone see more of him, why can't he do more?" Key said, adding that Obama's office was sensitive about not wanting to "trample over the new administration."
Asked if she will raise any concerns about President Trump when she meets with Obama, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she imagined Obama would be "extremely cautious" given that he was no longer in a political role.
Asked about the lack of access, Ardern said the disappointment was understandable. "I'll be happy to relay some insights after my meeting with him."
Obama arrived in New Zealand after visiting Singapore. He will next travel to Australia and then Japan.
NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump met privately with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over the weekend, marking a détente between the former rivals after a brutal Republican primary contest marked by insults and bruised egos, according to three people familiar with the discussion.
The meeting, which lasted three hours, was organized to help the men bury the hatchet and discuss potential joint fundraising efforts, according to one of the people, who, like others, spoke on condition of anonymity to share details of the private get-together. The governor, during the conversation, committed to helping Trump as he faces President Joe Biden in the general election, said the person. It ended with the two shaking hands, said another.
The meeting, which was first reported by The Washington Post, was orchestrated by Florida real estate investor Steve Witkoff, and took place at his Shell Bay Club in Hollywood, Florida.
Witkoff did not immediately respond to a request for comment through his office.
On Monday, Trump said the two had had “a great meeting yesterday” and that he was “very happy to have the full and enthusiastic support of Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida.”
“The conversation mostly concerned how we would work closely together to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. Also discussed was the future of Florida, which is FANTASTIC!” he wrote on his social media site. "I greatly appreciate Ron’s support in taking back our Country from the Worst President in the History of the United States."
DeSantis has a deep network of donors from his runs for governor and president. He amassed an enormous war chest for his White House run, entering the race with $130 million in the bank.
Though he endorsed Trump when he dropped his bid for the GOP nomination in a video after failing to gain traction, DeSantis has yet to campaign or fundraise on Trump's behalf. Instead, he has, at times, needled Trump, including responding to a news story about some Republicans in the Florida legislature wanting to help fund Trump’s legal bills by posting, “But not the Florida Republican who wields the veto pen …”
The GOP primary was marked by a bitter rivalry between the two men, who had once been allies. Trump lambasted DeSantis as disloyal and nicknamed him Ron “DeSanctimonious," while DeSantis suggested Trump would lose again in November and said he'd “lost the zip on his fastball” over the years.
DeSantis’ allies believe the Florida governor has a clear path to another presidential bid should he want one. But that path could be complicated by lingering hostilities in a party that overwhelmingly backs the former president, especially if he wins in November.
Associated Press writer Thomas Beaumont contributed to this report from Des Moines.
FILE - This combination of photos shows Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaking on July 17, 2023, in Arlington, Va., left, and former President Donald Trump speaking in Bedminster, N.J., June 13, 2023. Trump met privately with DeSantis over the weekend, according to two people familiar with the discussion, marking a detente between the former rivals after a brutal primary contest marked by insults and bruised egos. (AP Photo, File)
