FIRST Lady Louise ‘’Liza’’ Araneta-Marcos will not join President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in his trip to the United States next week to meet with American President Donald Trump.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro disclosed this during an interview with “Ted Failon DJ Chacha sa True FM Livestream,” but did not give a reason. Castro later said she would still get details.
The First Lady has accompanied her husband in most of his foreign trips.
Castro also declined to provide details about Marcos’ July 20 to 22 trip and deferred to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
However, she said Trade Secretary Cristina Roque will be part of the presidential delegation, amid expected talks between American and Philippine officials about Trump’s imposition of a 20 percent tariff on products coming from the Philippines.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro earlier said details of the meeting between Marcos and Trump were still being finalized. She also said that among issues likely to be discussed during the meeting are related to defense and security amid tension with China in the South China Sea, the US tariffs, and economic cooperation.
It will be the president’s fourth trip to the US since 2022 when he attended the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. The following year, he flew to California for the 30th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders’ Meeting. In April last year, he attended the first US-Philippines-Japan Trilateral Summit in Washington, D.C.
