Trump departs US for marathon Asia trip

[WASHINGTON] US President Donald Trump departed the United States on Friday, beginning an almost two week trip to Asia that will take in five countries.

Mr Trump left Joint Base Andrews, just outside Washington, bound for Hawaii. From there he will travel on to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines.

As he left, Mr Trump unleashed a barrage of invective against political foes and his own Justice Department, which is investigating his campaign's ties to Russia.

Mr Trump also used his departure to announce that the already marathon trip will be extended to include an East Asia Summit in the Philippines, which he had been slated to miss.

AFP