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Trump enjoys a relaxing trip to Asia, relatively speaking

A lot of stuff happened while Trump was away, though, including brutal election night defeats for the GOP, as well as disturbing allegations against important Senate candidate Roy Moore, who’s accused of molesting a 14-year-old girl back when he was 3...

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President Donald Trump spent the week abroad as he began a 12-day trip in Asia. A lot of stuff happened back home, though, including brutal election-night defeats for the GOP, as well as disturbing allegations against important Senate candidate Roy Moore, who’s accused of molesting a 14-year-old girl when he was a 32-year-old assistant DA.

Trump was forced to deal with these in-party domestic crises while he worked on building relationships with allies in Asia. Here’s how the president juggled the situation, just as he hit the one-year mark of his surprise election victory against Hillary Clinton.

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A quick pitstop Day 288 — November 4

It was a relatively quiet day for President Trump, even though Alex Jones predicted an “ANTIFA INSURGENCY” that didn’t happen.

The president briefly visited Hawaii, including a Trump-branded resort, before he embarked on a 12-day trip in Asia, which starts in Japan and continues on to South Korea, China, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

Condolences from the course Day 289 — November 5

Trump offered his condolences and said he was “monitoring” from Japan the situation after yet another mass shooting that killed 26 at a Texas church.

He also hit the green — as he does almost every weekend — with Japan’s prime minister. The president was uncharacteristically open about the outing; his golf trips are usually secretive, and for good reason: Trump was a frequent critic of Barack Obama’s golfing, even though Trump is far outpacing his predecessor in time spent on the course.

“Not a guns situation” Day 289 — November 10

At a news conference in Tokyo, Trump blamed the death of 26 people at the hands of a Texas gunman on “mental health problems.” “This isn’t a guns situation,” Trump said. “This is a mental health problem at the highest level. It’s a very, very sad event.”

The next day, Trump would go on to credit guns for saving “hundreds” of lives in the tragedy. Police believe the gunman killed himself after a civilian with a rifle shot him.

“I can only say this: If he didn’t have a gun, instead of having 26 dead, you would have had hundreds more dead,” the president said. “So, that’s the way I feel about it. Not going to help.”

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Buy our weapons! Day 291 — November 7

Just one day after urging Japan to fight North Korea’s nuclear threats with “a lot” of weapons bought directly from U.S, Trump managed to deliver an entire speech in South Korea without once calling Kim Jong Un by the nickname “Little Rocket Man.” In fact, Trump seemed to stick to the teleprompter for most of his remarks to the South Korean National Assembly, though he squeezed in a plug for his golf course in New Jersey.

“This is a very different administration than the United States has had in the past. Today I hope I speak not only for our countries but for all civilized nations when I say to the North: Do not underestimate us. And do not try us,” the president said.

The president’s speech came on the heels of major losses for Republican lawmakers throughout the country a year after Trump’s win in 2016. Voters delivered historic wins for minorities, LGBTQ people, and women in a bevy of state and local contests. In particular, Trump had actively campaigned on Twitter and in robo-calls (but not on the ground) for Republican Ed Gillespie, but when he lost Virginia’s governor race to Democrat Ralph Northam, Trump said it was  because Gillespie “did not embrace me or what I stand for.”

Happy one year anniversary Day 292 — November 8

Trump departed South Korea for China, the centerpiece of his 12-day Asia tour. He arrived in China and attended the opera and dined with President Xi Jinping.

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Trump and Xi sitting in a tree Day 293 — November 9

Trump apparently now has “incredibly warm feelings” for China, adding that there was was “great chemistry” between him and President Xi.

The president then departed for Da Nang, Vietnam, where he delivered another “America First” speech at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation. First lady Melania stayed behind to see the zoo.

“Mere allegation” Day 294 — November 10

Trump sort of condemned Roy Moore, the GOP Senate candidate from Alabama who’s accused of molesting a 14-year-old girl when he was 32. Three other women also told the Washington Post that Moore sexually pursued them when they were between the ages of 16 and 18.

“Like most Americans, the president believes we cannot allow a mere allegation, in this case one from many years ago, to destroy a person’s life,” Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters aboard Air Force One. “However, the president also believes that if these allegations are true, Judge Moore will do the right thing and step aside.”

The allegations alone, however, were enough for some prominent Republicans like Sen. John McCain and former Massachusetts’ Gov. Mitt Romney to call for Moore to step down now.

Trump briefly came face to face with his frenemy Vladimir Putin once again. After a few days of rumors that the two would engage in a secret meeting (the Kremlin said it was a go), the White House said the two won’t hold a “formal meeting” in Vietnam at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.