Trump sets up a War Room…in a public restaurant

Feb. 13: On This Day In 2017

{Plus: See below for special Bonus OTDI}

A crisis begins: When North Korea launched its first ballistic missile test of the Trump presidency, the world watched to see what Trump’s reaction would be. They didn’t have to look hard to “watch.” At the time of the launch, Trump was dining publicly with Japanese PM Shinzo Abe at Trump’s restaurant in Palm Beach.

But dessert must go on:  Rather than relocate to a high-security environment, Trump plotted his response with Abe right there at their dinner table, in full view of the civilian onlookers who happened to be there that night.

OTDI 2017, Business Insider posted pics of the incident, and quoted a diner who was stoked to have taken a selfie with the military aide who carries the nuclear “football” launch codes.

Sources/Links for further reading

• @Fahrenthold, then with the Washington Post, and @karendeyoung1 described the scene

• Business Insider has the details

Note: For a second helping postscript about this little dinner, set a reminder to check out the upcoming OTDI on October 20.

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Today’s Bonus OTDI

OTDI 2020, former NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg tweets a blistering takedown of Trump, which went at Trump's personal sense of self-worth and public persona:

“We know many of the same people in NY. Behind your back they laugh at you & call you a carnival barking clown. They know you inherited a fortune & squandered it with stupid deals and incompetence.”