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Trump Skips South American Summit to Focus on Syria

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WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump will not attend the Summit of Americas and will instead remain in the US to "oversee the American response to Syria," the White House announced Tuesday.

"President Trump will not attend the 8th Summit of the Americas in Lima, Peru, or travel to Bogota, Colombia, as originally scheduled," said White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Vice President Mike Pence will travel to South America in his stead.

On Monday, President Trump said the US would respond in 24-48 hours to the latest suspected chemical weapons strike in Syria.

The horrifying gas attack killed at least 40 people.

"We cannot allow atrocities like that," said Trump.

Trump said "nothing is off the table" in response to the strike and is threatening military action.

Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad has denied he is behind the violence.

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About The Author

Ben
Kennedy

Ben Kennedy is an Emmy Award-winning White House correspondent for CBN News in Washington, D.C. He has more than a decade of reporting experience covering breaking news nationwide. He's traveled cross country covering the President and scored exclusive interviews with lawmakers and White House officials. Kennedy spent seven years reporting for WPLG, the ABC affiliate in Miami, Florida. While there he reported live from Kingston, Jamaica, as Hurricane Matthew hit the island. He was the first journalist to interview Diana Nyad moments after her historic swim from Cuba to Key West. He reported