President Donald Trump presents the "President's Cup" to the Tokyo Grand Sumo Tournament winner Asanoyama, at Ryogoku Kokugikan Stadium on Sunday.
President Trump attended a sumo wrestling competition with Japan's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, on Sunday, as the Japanese rolled out the red carpet for Trump during his visit to Tokyo.
The wrestler who won the competition received a U.S.-made trophy named the President's Cup, in honor of Trump's trip.
"That was something to see these great athletes, because they really are athletes," Trump said after the tournament. "It's a very ancient sport and I've always wanted to see sumo wrestling, so it was really great."
On Monday, Trump will be the first foreign world leader to officially meet with Japan's new emperor, Naruhito, who ascended to the throne at the beginning of May.
Japan is the latest country to attempt to use a visit like this to impress Trump, who loves pageantry and puts a great deal of stock in personal connections. But these grand displays haven't translated into lasting benefits for these countries. Listen to the story on NPR's Morning Edition and see photos of past events below.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
/ Saudi Press Agency via AP
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Saudi Press Agency via AP
Saudi Arabia hosted Trump for his first trip abroad as president in May 2017. He was greeted with a military flyover and canons when he arrived. He was also presented with a gold medal known as the Collar of Abdulaziz al Saud, which is Saudi Arabia's highest honor. Here, Trump and first lady Melania Trump are seen with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi (left) and Saudi King Salman.
Andrew Harnik / AP
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AP
During a trip to China in 2017, Trump was treated to an opera performance and acrobats during a tour of the Forbidden City, a palace where China's emperors lived for nearly six centuries. Chinese President Xi Jinping personally escorted Trump on the sightseeing excursion.
Yves Herman / AFP/Getty Images
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AFP/Getty Images
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, dined with President Trump and first lady Melania Trump in the Eiffel Tower in July 2017. Trump later called it "one of the most beautiful evenings you'll ever see. So that was a great honor."
Christophe Archambault / AFP/Getty Images
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AFP/Getty Images
Trump was the guest of honor at France's Bastille Day parade in 2017, a celebration of the 100th anniversary of U.S. involvement in World War I. Trump was so impressed by the military display that he tried to have a similar parade in the U.S., but plans for the event fell through.
Matt Dunham/WPA Pool / Getty Images
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Getty Images
The Trumps had tea with Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle during a visit to the United Kingdom last year. Trump said the queen was "fantastic" and that the first couple and the monarch really "got along."
Ayesha Rascoe is a White House correspondent for NPR. She is currently covering her third presidential administration. Rascoe's White House coverage has included a number of high profile foreign trips, including President Trump's 2019 summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi, Vietnam, and President Obama's final NATO summit in Warsaw, Poland in 2016. As a part of the White House team, she's also a regular on the NPR Politics Podcast.
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