Republican presidential candidates Donald Trump and Ted Cruz are dismissing President Obama’s historic trip to Cuba as misguided foreign policy.
Trump tweeted that Cuban President Raul Castro had “no respect” for the President and First Family because he did not greet them when Air Force One landed on the island on Sunday afternoon.
“Wow, President Obama just landed in Cuba, a big deal, and Raul Castro wasn’t even there to greet him,” Trump wrote. “He greeted Pope and others. No respect.”
Cruz wrote penned a highly critical op-ed for Politico, suggesting the President is visiting Cuba to “hang out with Raul Castro and his henchmen.”
“Meanwhile, political prisoners languishing in dungeons across the island will hear this message: Nobody has your back. You’re alone with your tormentors. The world has forgotten about you,” Cruz wrote.
Obama landed on the island on Sunday for the two-day journey, during which he’ll meet with both Castro and political dissidents. Republicans in Congress have also been critical of the President’s decision to travel to Cuba, where the government keeps a tight lid on political dissent. The White House says the trip will help the U.S. and Cuba chart a new course after years without formal diplomatic relations.
