U.S. President Donald Trump is not going to Milwaukee for a scheduled visit to the Harley-Davidson plant after company officials there decided it would be too uncomfortable hosting the president amidst planned protests, said a White House official.
Trump was scheduled to take a tour of the plant on Thursday where he planned as well to sign new executive orders related to manufacturing in the U.S.
The visit was not announced publicly, but staffers at the White House already were in Milwaukee planning for the president’s visit on Thursday.
On Tuesday, a statement was issued by Harley-Davidson saying they did not have nor did they have a visit scheduled by the President in any facilities this week.
Three of the past five U.S. presidents have visited the Harley-Davidson facilities, said the statement. The company’s statement said the visits by the presidents were a testament to the passion and pride of all our employees as well as the great work they provide in building the company’s motorcycles.
The statement ended by saying the motorcycle maker looked forward to the next time it hosts a president.
A number of groups in the area were preparing to hold huge protests during the time Trump was scheduled to visit the plant, especially following the issuing of an executive order over the weekend that banned immigration from 7 countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
The official at the White House said that the threat of large protests is what made the motorcycle company uncomfortable and not the executive orders Trump had planned to sign.
The cancellation of the trip highlights problems that Trump will continue facing as he implements his presidential agenda while controversy continues to engulf his presidency.
The decision by Trump of a temporary ban of citizens from the seven countries from entering the U.S. and suspending admission of refugees sparked nationwide protests of which it now appears have caused his rollout of his policy agenda that is unrelated to be cancelled.
The ban on travel was met with condemnation from Democrats as well as some members of the Republican Party who called it more counterproductive to the counterterrorism efforts of the U.S.
The opposition already has ramped up the efforts by Democrats to stall Trumps nominees in the confirmation process and could trickle down to his legislative efforts.
