President Trump attended a sumo wrestling competition with Japan's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, on Sunday, as the Japanese rolled out the red carpet for Trump during his visit to Tokyo.
The wrestler who won the competition received a U.S.-made trophy named the President's Cup, in honor of Trump's trip.
"That was something to see these great athletes, because they really are athletes," Trump said after the tournament. "It's a very ancient sport and I've always wanted to see sumo wrestling, so it was really great."
On Monday, Trump will be the first foreign world leader to officially meet with Japan's new emperor, Naruhito, who ascended to the throne at the beginning of May.
Japan is the latest country to attempt to use a visit like this to impress Trump, who loves pageantry and puts a great deal of stock in personal connections. But these grand displays haven't translated into lasting benefits for these countries. Listen to the story on NPR's Morning Edition and see photos of past events below.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
Ayesha Rascoe is a White House correspondent for NPR. She is currently covering her third presidential administration. Rascoe's White House coverage has included a number of high profile foreign trips, including President Trump's 2019 summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi, Vietnam, and President Obama's final NATO summit in Warsaw, Poland in 2016. As a part of the White House team, she's also a regular on the NPR Politics Podcast.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service made the announcement Friday. There are 34 cases of Listeria from deli meat across 13 states, including two people who died of Thursday, according to the CDC.
Each week, guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: This Is How You Lose the Time War, GWAR covering “I’m Just Ken,” and the Tested podcast series from NPR's Embedded.
Police officers in many U.S. cities have recently gotten large pay boosts. Departments are offering these raises to combat understaffing, but some say the money won’t help.
For three decades, Khalil Shikaki has provided insights into Palestinian public opinion. The most recent poll showed a rise in Hamas popularity, though a majority of respondents don't support Hamas.
Venezuela is holding a presidential election on Sunday that could bring dramatic change to the nation, if the opposition candidate can really knock out longtime President Nicolás Maduro.