WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama, on his way to a weeklong trip to Asia, is headed to Washington state Tuesday to survey damage from the mudslide and meet with survivors, first responders and local officials one month after the tragedy.
More than 40 people died in the disaster, which claimed more than two dozen homes on the outskirts of Oso, a small town an hour’s drive from Seattle. The medical examiner’s office is still working to identify victims of the devastation.
The visit will be Obama’s only domestic stop on his way to Asia, where he plans to talk about trade opportunities with foreign leaders and discuss the U.S. role in regional security. Nearly three years after vowing to shift the focus of U.S. foreign policy to Asia, Obama heads to the region to try to convince friends and rivals alike that he remains serious about that goal.
Obama is to meet with the heads of state in Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines, deliver one major speech and take questions at no fewer than four news conferences. Obama was forced to cancel last fall’s visit to Asia when House Republicans forced a government shutdown.