Pennsylvania woman died days before Maryland couple at the same hotel in the Dominican Republic - CNN

Miranda Schaup-Werner, 41, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, had just checked in May 25 and enjoyed a drink from a minibar at the Bahia Principe Hotel in La Romana, family spokesman Jay McDonald told CNN affiliate WFMZ.

She and her husband, Dan Werner, were celebrating their ninth wedding anniversary when she suddenly collapsed in her hotel room, he said.

"At one point, she was sitting there happily smiling and taking pictures and the next moment she was in acute pain and called out for Dan and she collapsed," McDonald said.

"He was understandably in shock, but the whole thing was just so stunning."

Paramedics were called, and first aid was provided, but Schaup-Werner died in the room, Dominican Republic National Police Col. Frank Felix Durán Mejia told CNN.

A cause of death has not been determined, and a toxicology report is pending, but no violence was involved, Durán Mejia said.

Prosecutors are investigating the circumstances of her death, the Dominican attorney general's office said Wednesday.

Couple die nearly a week later

Five days later, on May 30, Maryland couple Edward Nathaniel Holmes, 63, and Cynthia Ann Day, 49, missed their scheduled checkout time at the same resort. Hotel employees later found them dead, police said.

When Schaup-Werner's family heard about the couple's deaths, they notified the US State Department of the similarities and requested an investigation, according to McDonald. He said Schaup-Werner was healthy before her death.

"What we thought was a freak event now we don't know," he said.

CNN has reached out to the resort for more information.

3 Americans in 5 days

The two families are searching for answers after the loss of their loved ones in the same resort five days apart.

In a statement to CNN, the State Department confirmed last month's deaths of the three US citizens.

"We offer our sincerest condolences to the families for their loss," it said.

After Day and Holmes died, the Dominican Republic National Police said an autopsy concluded the couple had respiratory failure and pulmonary edema, an abnormal buildup of fluid in the lungs.

Medications meant to treat high blood pressure were found in the room, police said. There were no signs of violence in the room.

All 3 checked in on same day

Holmes and Day were engaged, and were from Prince George's County, Maryland, relatives told CNN affiliate WBAL. They were supposed to fly back home the day they were found.

Days before their deaths, Holmes posted Facebook photos of him and Day enjoying their time in open waters.

"Boat ride of a lifetime!!!" one caption said.

The three Americans all checked into the hotel May 25 -- the same day Schaup-Werner died, the affiliate reported. The couple were checking out five days later when they were found.

The bodies of all three Americans were transported to forensic science institutes in the Dominican Republic for examinations, officials said.

"We are deeply saddened by the incident at one of our hotels in La Romana, Dominican Republic, and want to express our deepest condolences to their family and friends," Bahia Principe Hotels said in a statement after the couple's death.

La Romana is on the Caribbean coast and has a population of about 130,000.

CNN's Rebekah Riess, Andrea Diaz and Rosa Flores contributed to this report.

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2019-06-05 14:40:48Z
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Trump reads FDR's D-Day prayer as Queen Elizabeth II, world leaders remember World War II Normandy landing - USA TODAY

Kim Hjelmgaard USA TODAY

Published 10:08 AM EDT Jun 5, 2019

PORTSMOUTH, England – On the final leg of his three-day state visit to Britain, President Donald Trump joined Queen Elizabeth II and leaders from around the world in paying respects to Allied service members who 75 years ago took part in the D-Day landings that helped liberate Europe from Nazi Germany's military occupation. 

The Normandy landings on June 6, 1944, were the largest land, air and sea invasion in history and Portsmouth Naval Base, near where the commemorations took place Wednesday, served as a key launch pad for those forces.

In an address, the queen said that "75 years ago, hundreds of thousands of young soldiers, sailors and airmen left these shores in the cause of freedom. In a broadcast to the nation at that time, my father, King George VI, said: 'What is demanded from us all is something more than courage and endurance; we need a revival of spirit, a new unconquerable resolve.' That is exactly what those brave men brought to the battle, as the fate of the world depended on their success."

Earlier, in a special message to mark the occasion, the queen said: "At this time of reflection for veterans of the conflict and their families, I am sure that these commemorations will provide an opportunity to honor those who made extraordinary sacrifices to secure freedom in Europe. They must never be forgotten." 

In addition to Trump, the queen and Prime Minister Theresa May hosted 14 other leaders in Portsmouth, including France's Emmanuel Macron, Germany's Angela Merkel and Canada's Justin Trudeau. Prince Charles attended with representatives from every country that participated in the storming of the beaches along France's northwestern coast in a surprise attack involving 5,000 ships, 11,000 airplanes and 150,000 soldiers. More than 4,000 Allied service members – more than half of them American – died in the assault credited with changing the course of the war.

The event featured a number of British and American veterans of the invasion. Their chests bore ribbons and medals and a few of them clutched canes. The story of the build-up to the battle was told through live music, performances and readings. 

"We must never forget," said D-Day veteran John Jenkins, 99, addressing a crowd of more than a thousand seated in folding chairs before an amphitheater-type stage. About 300 World War II veterans attended the ceremony on England's south coast. 

Trump read a prayer that President Franklin Roosevelt delivered in a radio address on June 6, 1944, as U.S. and allied forces were crossing the English Channel to land on the beaches of Normandy, France. "Almighty God, our sons, pride of our nation, this day, have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our republic, our religion and our civilization and to set free a suffering humanity," Trump read. 

World War II D-Day: 5 to know on the 75th anniversary of Normandy landings

Several hours before the event, Trump launched into a Wednesday morning tweet storm, criticizing the "Corrupt Media," praising his "warm" treatment by Britain's royal family and offering condolences to Israel President Reuven Rivlin on the death of his wife Nechama  Rivlin. He also unleashed attacks on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, former Vice President Joe Biden and even actress and singer Bette Midler. 

In a news conference on Tuesday with May, Trump said he was grateful for the warm welcome he has received from the royal family and the prime minister during his visit to Britain. "The bonds of friendship forged here and sealed in blood on those hallowed beaches will endure forever," Trump said at the news conference.

He said the D-Day landings "may have been the greatest battle ever in history."

Colin King, 73, who served in the British Navy and was manning a pop-up booth in Portsmouth for the Royal Navy Association, a support group for ex-service members, said Trump "had done quite well" on his trip to Britain and as far as he was concerned the "special relationship" between the U.S. and Britain had "never been better." 

"I haven't seen too many people complaining about his tweets," he said. 

Before and after: Photos reveal dramatic changes since D-Day

Ahead of the commemorations, the countries taking part issued a joint statement pledging to make sure the "unimaginable horror" of World War II did not happen again.

Later Wednesday, Trump will make his first visit as president to Ireland, where he will hold meetings with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar at Shannon Airport, before spending the night at the Trump golf club in Doonbeg. He will then travel to France for further D-Day commemorations focused on honoring Americans killed in the fighting. 

75th D-Day anniversary: The Pieper twins are finally together in Normandy

Prior to the ceremonies Trump also took part in a broadcast interview with "Good Morning Britain," telling host Piers Morgan that he meant no harm when he used the term "nasty" in discussing the American-born Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle. The phrase generated a lot of media coverage and Trump sought to clarify that he was speaking specifically on her comments about him, not about her.

"She was nasty to me. And that’s okay for her to be nasty, it’s not good for me to be nasty to her and I wasn’t," Trump said in the interview, which he also used to play down an earlier comment that any trade deal between the U.S. and Britain after the latter leaves the European Union could involve Britain's National Health Service, a prospect that has alarmed many Britons and politicians.  

In the interview, Trump was also asked about avoiding serving in the Vietnam War. 

"Well I was never a fan of that war I’ll be honest with you," he said. "I thought it was a terrible war, I thought it was very far away, nobody ever… you know you’re talking about Vietnam and at that time, nobody had ever heard of the country."

Back in Portsmouth, Laurence Wood, 76, who fought for the British army in Borneo in a conflict against Indonesia in the 1960s, was sitting down on a patch of grass taking it all in. Wood said his mother was a "British GI bride" – in other words, his father was an American soldier stationed in Britain during World War II, part of what historians sometimes refer to as the "friendly invasion" of Britain during the Nazi era. 

After the war, Wood lived with his parents in New York City, but they separated, he moved back to Britain with his mother, and last saw his dad when he was four-years-old. He has lost all touch with his American side of the family, he said. 

He also said Trump's visit had caused him to change his mind about the president.  

"Until he came here, I never liked him," he said. "But he's behaved himself in front of our queen and the royal family and I have appreciated that."

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2019-06-05 13:49:06Z
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'Extraordinary sacrifices': Trump joins Queen Elizabeth II for D-Day anniversary in Portsmouth - USA TODAY

Kim Hjelmgaard USA TODAY

Published 9:49 AM EDT Jun 5, 2019

PORTSMOUTH, England – On the final leg of his three-day state visit to Britain, President Donald Trump joined Queen Elizabeth II and leaders from around the world in paying respects to Allied service members who 75 years ago took part in the D-Day landings that helped liberate Europe from Nazi Germany's military occupation. 

The Normandy landings on June 6, 1944, were the largest land, air and sea invasion in history and Portsmouth Naval Base, near where the commemorations took place Wednesday, served as a key launch pad for those forces.

In an address, the queen said that "75 years ago, hundreds of thousands of young soldiers, sailors and airmen left these shores in the cause of freedom. In a broadcast to the nation at that time, my father, King George VI, said: 'What is demanded from us all is something more than courage and endurance; we need a revival of spirit, a new unconquerable resolve.' That is exactly what those brave men brought to the battle, as the fate of the world depended on their success."

Earlier, in a special message to mark the occasion, the queen said: "At this time of reflection for veterans of the conflict and their families, I am sure that these commemorations will provide an opportunity to honor those who made extraordinary sacrifices to secure freedom in Europe. They must never be forgotten." 

In addition to Trump, the queen and Prime Minister Theresa May hosted 14 other leaders in Portsmouth, including France's Emmanuel Macron, Germany's Angela Merkel and Canada's Justin Trudeau. Prince Charles attended with representatives from every country that participated in the storming of the beaches along France's northwestern coast in a surprise attack involving 5,000 ships, 11,000 airplanes and 150,000 soldiers. More than 4,000 Allied service members – more than half of them American – died in the assault credited with changing the course of the war.

The event featured a number of British and American veterans of the invasion. Their chests bore ribbons and medals and a few of them clutched canes. The story of the build-up to the battle was told through live music, performances and readings. 

"We must never forget," said D-Day veteran John Jenkins, 99, addressing a crowd of more than a thousand seated in folding chairs before an amphitheater-type stage. About 300 World War II veterans attended the ceremony on England's south coast. 

Trump read a prayer that President Franklin Roosevelt delivered in a radio address on June 6, 1944, as U.S. and allied forces were crossing the English Channel to land on the beaches of Normandy, France. "Almighty God, our sons, pride of our nation, this day, have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our republic, our religion and our civilization and to set free a suffering humanity," Trump read. 

World War II D-Day: 5 to know on the 75th anniversary of Normandy landings

Several hours before the event, Trump launched into a Wednesday morning tweet storm, criticizing the "Corrupt Media," praising his "warm" treatment by Britain's royal family and offering condolences to Israel President Reuven Rivlin on the death of his wife Nechama  Rivlin. He also unleashed attacks on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, former Vice President Joe Biden and even actress and singer Bette Midler. 

In a news conference on Tuesday with May, Trump said he was grateful for the warm welcome he has received from the royal family and the prime minister during his visit to Britain. "The bonds of friendship forged here and sealed in blood on those hallowed beaches will endure forever," Trump said at the news conference.

He said the D-Day landings "may have been the greatest battle ever in history."

Colin King, 73, who served in the British Navy and was manning a pop-up booth in Portsmouth for the Royal Navy Association, a support group for ex-service members, said Trump "had done quite well" on his trip to Britain and as far as he was concerned the "special relationship" between the U.S. and Britain had "never been better." 

"I haven't seen too many people complaining about his tweets," he said. 

Before and after: Photos reveal dramatic changes since D-Day

Ahead of the commemorations, the countries taking part issued a joint statement pledging to make sure the "unimaginable horror" of World War II did not happen again.

Later Wednesday, Trump will make his first visit as president to Ireland, where he will hold meetings with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar at Shannon Airport, before spending the night at the Trump golf club in Doonbeg. He will then travel to France for further D-Day commemorations focused on honoring Americans killed in the fighting. 

75th D-Day anniversary: The Pieper twins are finally together in Normandy

Prior to the ceremonies Trump also took part in a broadcast interview with "Good Morning Britain," telling host Piers Morgan that he meant no harm when he used the term "nasty" in discussing the American-born Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle. The phrase generated a lot of media coverage and Trump sought to clarify that he was speaking specifically on her comments about him, not about her.

"She was nasty to me. And that’s okay for her to be nasty, it’s not good for me to be nasty to her and I wasn’t," Trump said in the interview, which he also used to play down an earlier comment that any trade deal between the U.S. and Britain after the latter leaves the European Union could involve Britain's National Health Service, a prospect that has alarmed many Britons and politicians.  

In the interview, Trump was also asked about avoiding serving in the Vietnam War. 

"Well I was never a fan of that war I’ll be honest with you," he said. "I thought it was a terrible war, I thought it was very far away, nobody ever… you know you’re talking about Vietnam and at that time, nobody had ever heard of the country."

Back in Portsmouth, Laurence Wood, 76, who fought for the British army in Borneo in a conflict against Indonesia in the 1960s, was sitting down on a patch of grass taking it all in. Wood said his mother was a "British GI bride" – in other words, his father was an American soldier stationed in Britain during World War II, part of what historians sometimes refer to as the "friendly invasion" of Britain during the Nazi era. 

After the war, Wood lived with his parents in New York City, but they separated, he moved back to Britain with his mother, and last saw his dad when he was four-years-old. He has lost all touch with his American side of the family, he said. 

He also said Trump's visit had caused him to change his mind about the president.  

"Until he came here, I never liked him," he said. "But he's behaved himself in front of our queen and the royal family and I have appreciated that."

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2019-06-05 13:13:21Z
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'Extraordinary sacrifices': Trump joins Queen Elizabeth II for D-Day anniversary in Portsmouth - USA TODAY

Kim Hjelmgaard USA TODAY

Published 9:13 AM EDT Jun 5, 2019

PORTSMOUTH, England – On the final leg of his three-day state visit to Britain, President Donald Trump joined Queen Elizabeth II and leaders from around the world in paying respects to Allied service members who 75 years ago took part in the D-Day landings that helped liberate Europe from Nazi Germany's military occupation. 

The Normandy landings on June 6, 1944, were the largest land, air and sea invasion in history and Portsmouth Naval Base, near where the commemorations took place Wednesday, served as a key launch pad for those forces.

In an address, the queen said that "75 years ago, hundreds of thousands of young soldiers, sailors and airmen left these shores in the cause of freedom. In a broadcast to the nation at that time, my father, King George VI, said: 'What is demanded from us all is something more than courage and endurance; we need a revival of spirit, a new unconquerable resolve.' That is exactly what those brave men brought to the battle, as the fate of the world depended on their success."

Earlier, in a special message to mark the occasion, the queen said: "At this time of reflection for veterans of the conflict and their families, I am sure that these commemorations will provide an opportunity to honor those who made extraordinary sacrifices to secure freedom in Europe. They must never be forgotten." 

In addition to Trump, the queen and Prime Minister Theresa May hosted 14 other leaders in Portsmouth, including France's Emmanuel Macron, Germany's Angela Merkel and Canada's Justin Trudeau. Prince Charles attended with representatives from every country that participated in the storming of the beaches along France's northwestern coast in a surprise attack involving 5,000 ships, 11,000 airplanes and 150,000 soldiers. More than 4,000 Allied service members – more than half of them American – died in the assault credited with changing the course of the war.

The event featured a number of British and American veterans of the invasion. Their chests bore ribbons and medals and a few of them clutched canes. The story of the build-up to the battle was told through live music, performances and readings. 

"We must never forget," said D-Day veteran John Jenkins, 99, addressing a crowd of more than a thousand seated in folding chairs before an amphitheater-type stage. About 300 World War II veterans attended the ceremony on England's south coast. 

Trump read a prayer that President Franklin Roosevelt delivered in a radio address on June 6, 1944, as U.S. and allied forces were crossing the English Channel to land on the beaches of Normandy, France. "Almighty God, our sons, pride of our nation, this day, have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our republic, our religion and our civilization and to set free a suffering humanity," Trump read. 

World War II D-Day: 5 to know on the 75th anniversary of Normandy landings

Several hours before the event, Trump launched into a Wednesday morning tweet storm, criticizing the "Corrupt Media," praising his "warm" treatment by Britain's royal family and offering condolences to Israel's president on the death of his wife. He also unleashed attacks on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, former Vice President Joe Biden and even actress and singer Bette Midler. 

In a news conference on Tuesday with May, Trump said he was grateful for the warm welcome he has received from the royal family and the prime minister during his visit to Britain. "The bonds of friendship forged here and sealed in blood on those hallowed beaches will endure forever," Trump said at the news conference.

He said the D-Day landings "may have been the greatest battle ever in history."

Colin King, 73, who served in the British Navy and was manning a pop-up booth in Portsmouth for the Royal Navy Association, a support group for ex-service members, said Trump "had done quite well" on his trip to Britain and as far as he was concerned the "special relationship" between the U.S. and Britain had "never been better." 

"I haven't seen too many people complaining about his tweets," he said. 

Before and after: Photos reveal dramatic changes since D-Day

Ahead of the commemorations, the countries taking part issued a joint statement pledging to make sure the "unimaginable horror" of World War II did not happen again.

Later Wednesday, Trump will make his first visit as president to Ireland, where he will hold meetings with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar at Shannon Airport, before spending the night at the Trump golf club in Doonbeg. He will then travel to France for further D-Day commemorations focused on honoring Americans killed in the fighting. 

75th D-Day anniversary: The Pieper twins are finally together in Normandy

Prior to the ceremonies Trump also took part in a broadcast interview with "Good Morning Britain," telling host Piers Morgan that he meant no harm when he used the term "nasty" in discussing the American-born Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle. The phrase generated a lot of media coverage and Trump sought to clarify that he was speaking specifically on her comments about him, not about her.

"She was nasty to me. And that’s okay for her to be nasty, it’s not good for me to be nasty to her and I wasn’t," Trump said in the interview, which he also used to play down an earlier comment that any trade deal between the U.S. and Britain after the latter leaves the European Union could involve Britain's National Health Service, a prospect that has alarmed many Britons and politicians.  

Back in Portsmouth, Laurence Wood, 76, who fought for the British army in Borneo in a conflict against Indonesia in the 1960s, was sitting down on a patch of grass taking it all in. Wood said that his mother was a "British GI bride" – in other words, his father was an American soldier stationed in Britain during World War II, part of what historians sometimes refer to as the "friendly invasion" of Britain during the Nazi era. 

After the war, Wood lived with his parents in New York City, but they separated, he moved back to Britain with his mother, and last saw his dad when he was four-years-old. He has lost all touch with his American side of the family, he said. 

He also said Trump's visit had caused him to change his mind about the president.  

"Until he came here, I never liked him," he said. "One of things I had against him was that he escaped the draft (Trump avoided fighting in Vietnam). But he's behaved himself in front of our queen and the royal family and I have appreciated that."

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2019-06-05 12:49:10Z
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Trump says he didn't talk to Prince Harry about 'nasty' Meghan comment - CNN

"We didn't talk about it ... I was going to because it was so falsely put out there," Trump told interviewer Piers Morgan. And when you see that transcript and you see, it's the exact opposite of what they said. Did you look at the transcript?"

When asked last week about Meghan's comments in 2016 -- before she was a royal -- that she would move to Canada if Trump was elected, the President told British tabloid The Sun, "I didn't know that she was nasty. I hope she is OK."

Trump also defended his comments about the Duchess, made in an interview with The Sun newspaper on the eve of his three-day state visit to Britain.

Asked by ITV whether he thought Meghan is nasty, Trump said: "They said some of the things that she said and It's actually on tape. And I said, 'Well, I didn't know she was nasty.' I wasn't referring to she's nasty. I said she was nasty about me. And essentially I didn't know she was nasty about me."

"She was nasty to me. And that's OK for her to be nasty, it's not good for me to be nasty to her, and I wasn't," Trump added.

"You know what? She's doing a good job, I hope she enjoys her life," the President went on. "I think she's very nice."

Trump said that he congratulated Prince Harry when they met. Harry stayed across the room from Trump during the part of that visit that was open to the press.

"I think he's a terrific guy. The Royal Family is really nice," he said.

Trump said that his visit to the UK had been an "incredible trip," nodding to his dinner with Queen Elizabeth II, who had invited Trump and first lady Melania Trump to attend an official State Banquet at Buckingham Palace on Monday.

"Last night it was really quite unbelievable with a queen, because that is a great woman," Trump said.

Climate change discussions

In the wide-ranging interview, Trump commented on various elements of his UK visit, from his conversation with Prince Charles -- a devout environmentalist -- about climate change, why he felt it would be inappropriate to meet opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn, and about the UK's state-run National Health Service (NHS).

When Morgan asked Trump if Prince Charles had persuaded him about the merits of climate change science, Trump said the pair were meant to have a 15-minute chat that lasted 90 minutes, saying that "he (Charles) did most of the talking."

"He is really into climate change and that is great, I mean I want that, I like that," Trump said.

When asked if he personally believes in climate change, Trump said: "I believe that there is a change in weather and I think it changes both ways. It used to be called global warming, that wasn't working, then it was called climate change and now actually it is called extreme weather. Because with extreme weather, you cannot miss."

On post-Brexit US-UK trade negotiations, Trump previously said in a joint news conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May that the NHS would be part of those talks. He told Morgan that he didn't see it as an option.

"I don't see it being on the table. Somebody asked me a question today and I said everything is up for negotiation because everything is. But I don't see that being -- that's something that I would not consider part of trade, that's not trade."

Trump also spoke on Iran, saying that he'd "rather talk" than take military action, although there's "always a chance" and on gun control.

CNN's Jaide Timm-Garcia contributed to this report.

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2019-06-05 12:33:38Z
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'Extraordinary sacrifices': Trump joins Queen Elizabeth II for D-Day anniversary in Portsmouth - USA TODAY

Kim Hjelmgaard USA TODAY

Published 8:49 AM EDT Jun 5, 2019

PORTSMOUTH, England – On the final leg of his three-day state visit to Britain, President Donald Trump joined Queen Elizabeth II and leaders from around the world in paying respects to Allied service members who 75 years ago took part in the D-Day landings that helped liberate Europe from Nazi Germany's military occupation. 

The Normandy landings on June 6, 1944, were the largest land, air and sea invasion in history and Portsmouth Naval Base, near where the commemorations took place Wednesday, served as a key launch pad for those forces.

In an address, the queen said that "75 years ago, hundreds of thousands of young soldiers, sailors and airmen left these shores in the cause of freedom. In a broadcast to the nation at that time, my father, King George VI, said: 'What is demanded from us all is something more than courage and endurance; we need a revival of spirit, a new unconquerable resolve.' That is exactly what those brave men brought to the battle, as the fate of the world depended on their success."

Earlier, in a special message to mark the occasion, the queen said: "At this time of reflection for veterans of the conflict and their families, I am sure that these commemorations will provide an opportunity to honor those who made extraordinary sacrifices to secure freedom in Europe. They must never be forgotten." 

In addition to Trump, the queen and Prime Minister Theresa May hosted 14 other leaders in Portsmouth, including France's Emmanuel Macron, Germany's Angela Merkel and Canada's Justin Trudeau. Prince Charles attended with representatives from every country that participated in the storming of the beaches along France's northwestern coast in a surprise attack involving 5,000 ships, 11,000 airplanes and 150,000 soldiers. More than 4,000 Allied service members – more than half of them American – died in the assault credited with changing the course of the war.

The event featured a number of British and American veterans of the invasion. Their chests carried ribbons and medals and few of them clutched canes. The story of the build-up to the battle was told through live music, performances and readings. 

"We must never forget," said D-Day veteran John Jenkins, 99, addressing a crowd of more than a thousand seated in folding chairs before an amphitheater-type stage.

Trump read a prayer that President Franklin Roosevelt delivered in a radio address on June 6, 1944, as U.S. and allied forces were crossing the English Channel to land on the beaches of Normandy, France. "Almighty God, our sons, pride of our nation, this day, have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our republic, our religion and our civilization and to set free a suffering humanity," Trump read. 

World War II D-Day: 5 to know on the 75th anniversary of Normandy landings

Several hours before the event, Trump launched into a Wednesday morning tweet storm, criticizing the "Corrupt Media," praising his "warm" treatment by Britain's royal family and offering condolences to Israel's president on the death of his wife. He also unleashed attacks on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, former Vice President Joe Biden and even actress and singer Bette Midler. 

In a news conference on Tuesday with May, Trump said he was grateful for the warm welcome he has received from the royal family and the prime minister during his visit to Britain. "The bonds of friendship forged here and sealed in blood on those hallowed beaches will endure forever," Trump said at the news conference.

He said the D-Day landings "may have been the greatest battle ever in history."

Colin King, 73, who served in the British Navy and was manning a pop-up booth in Portsmouth for the Royal Navy Association, a support group for ex-service members, said Trump "had done quite well" on his trip to Britain and as far as he was concerned the "special relationship" between the U.S. and Britain had "never been better." 

"I haven't seen too many people complaining about his tweets," he said. 

Before and after: Photos reveal dramatic changes since D-Day

Ahead of the commemorations, the countries taking part issued a joint statement pledging to make sure the "unimaginable horror" of World War II did not happen again.

Later Wednesday, Trump will make his first visit as president to Ireland, where he will hold meetings with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar at Shannon Airport, before spending the night at the Trump golf club in Doonbeg. He will then travel to France for further D-Day commemorations focused on honoring Americans killed in the fighting. 

75th D-Day anniversary: The Pieper twins are finally together in Normandy

Prior to the ceremonies Trump also took part in a broadcast interview with "Good Morning Britain," telling host Piers Morgan that he meant no harm when he used the term "nasty" in discussing the American-born Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle. The phrase generated a lot of media coverage and Trump sought to clarify that he was speaking specifically on her comments about him, not about her.

"She was nasty to me. And that’s okay for her to be nasty, it’s not good for me to be nasty to her and I wasn’t," Trump said in the interview, which he also used to play down an earlier comment that any trade deal between the U.S. and Britain after the latter leaves the European Union could involve Britain's National Health Service, a prospect that has alarmed many Britons and politicians.  

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2019-06-05 12:21:23Z
52780309364655

Trump joins Queen at D-Day commemorations: Live updates - CNN International

US President Donald Trump told ITV's "Good Morning Britain" in an interview aired Wednesday that he spoke with Prince Harry during his visit to Buckingham Palace on Monday, but not about his comments on Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. Harry stayed across the room from Trump during the part of that visit that was open to the press.

“We didn’t talk about it ... I was going to because it was so falsely put out there," Trump said. And when you see that transcript and you see, it’s the exact opposite of what they said. Did you look at the transcript?”

When asked last week about Meghan's comments in 2016 – before she was a royal -- that she would move to Canada if Trump was elected, the President told British tabloid The Sun, "I didn't know that she was nasty. I hope she is OK."

The US President also defended his comments about the Duchess.

Asked by ITV whether he thought Meghan is nasty, Trump said: “They said some of the things that she said and It’s actually on tape. And I said, ‘Well, I didn’t know she was nasty.’ I wasn’t referring to she’s nasty. I said she was nasty about me. And essentially I didn’t know she was nasty about me."

"She was nasty to me. And that’s OK for her to be nasty, it’s not good for me to be nasty to her, and I wasn’t," Trump added.

"You know what? She’s doing a good job, I hope she enjoys her life," the President went on. "I think she’s very nice."

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https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-uk-visit-day-3-gbr-intl/index.html

2019-06-05 11:06:00Z
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