President-elect Donald Trump’s former campaign manager said Thursday she’s happy Mr. Trump will have the opportunity to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Thursday, but said deeper conversations will likely be put off until next year.
Kellyanne Conway, a current member of Mr. Trump’s transition team, said it’s a rather “informal” meeting since President Obama is still in the White House.
“We’re sensitive to the fact that these early meetings with heads of state occur within that construct,” Ms. Conway said on “CBS This Morning.”
“But at the same time, I’m very happy Prime Minister Abe will be there to meet with President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Pence today,” she said.
“But President Obama’s on his last foreign trip in that capacity, so I think any deeper conversations about policy, the relationship between Japan and the United States will have to wait until after the inauguration,” Ms. Conway said.
During the first presidential debate, Mr. Trump included Japan in a list of U.S. allies that he suggested could be footing more of the bill for the partnership.
“We defend Japan. We defend Germany. We defend South Korea. We defend Saudi Arabia. We defend countries,” he said. “They do not pay us what they should be paying us because we are providing tremendous service and were losing a fortune.”
In September, Mr. Abe met with Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, but not Mr. Trump, when the prime minister was in New York for a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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