Trump Makes First Presidential Visit To California
SAN DIEGO (CBSLA) — President Trump has arrived in California for a visit, his first since he won the White House, but details about his itinerary were rather vague.
Air Force One arrived at the Marine Corps Base in Miramar at about 11:30 a.m., and the president walked onto the tarmac and immediately boarded Marine One to fly to the border, where eight wall prototypes await his inspection.
Dozens of supporters, and a smaller group of protesters, were gathered down the road from the border wall prototypes. Trump supporters were euphoric that the president was finally visiting the Golden State and hoped he would stop to see them.
"It's funny, it's the silent majority," said a man who came from San Diego State University. "We've been here silent so long, it's time to just make my face known, and be here."
The president will also attend a Republican National Committee fundraiser in the Beverly Hills or Bel Air area Tuesday night.
While the location of Tuesday night's fundraiser has not been disclosed, according to an invitation obtained by the Los Angeles Times, tickets for the event range from $35,000 up to $250,000 for the chance to meet Trump, attend a roundtable discussion and have a photo taken with him.
The fundraiser is being hosted by RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, national finance chairman Todd Ricketts and deputy national finance chairman Elliott Broidy, according to the newspaper.
At least one protest is being planned for 5 p.m. nearby at Beverly Gardens Park, 9439 Santa Monica Blvd., while Trump supporters -- some of whom will be coming from the border gathering -- say they plan to rally at the Electric Fountain at the corner of Wilshire and Santa Monica boulevards in Beverly Hills.
The White House has been tight-lipped on details of the president's first visit to what may be the most hostile state to his administration. Just last week, the Department of Justice sued California over its sanctuary state laws.
While the president's travel route are never fully disclosed for security reasons, local police do not have any information to release the typical advisory of areas motorists should avoid during presidential visits as of Tuesday morning.
A schedule has been released, however. The president arrived at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego County at 11:30 a.m. and head to Otay Mesa to view the 30-foot border wall prototypes that have been erected. He is then expected to make a speech to members of the military back at Air Station Miramar.
Trump was then set to fly to the Los Angeles area, arriving at Los Angeles International Airport at 3:30 p.m. and may be flown via military helicopter to the West Los Angeles area. The LAPD released a statement that said that while they didn't have details about his visit, officers would be deployed throughout the city for the president's safety, and to keep the peace among expected protests.
The president's departure time from the Los Angeles area has not been announced. Trump is scheduled to fly to Missouri Wednesday morning, and there were reports of street closures and police staging in the vicinity of the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown Hotel near Wilshire Boulevard and Figueroa Street.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
