Air Force One landed at the airport near the famed Las Vegas strip on a bright, sunny morning just days after a gunman on the 32nd floor of a hotel and casino opened fire on people at an outdoor country music festival below. The Sunday night rampage killed at least 59 people and injured 527, some from gunfire and some from a chaotic escape.
"It's a very sad thing. We are going to pay our respects and to see the police who have done really a fantastic job in a very short time," Trump told reporters before departing the White House. He said that authorities were "learning a lot more" about the shooter, Stephen Craig Paddock, and that more details would be "announced at an appropriate time."
Trump's trip to Las Vegas follows his yesterday travel to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico, a pair of back-to-back episodes that are testing his ability to unite and lift the nation in times of strife. Trump, a leader who excels at political provocation and prides himself on commanding strength, has sometimes struggled to project empathy.
Trump has a long personal connection to Las Vegas, a city where his name is written in huge golden letters atop his hotel. He also campaigned extensively across Nevada during his presidential campaign, drawing large crowds to rallies along the Las Vegas strip.