Trump Austin Visit Details Revealed, Protests Planned

AUSTIN, TX — The road closures that might be planned to accommodate Donald Trump's trip to Austin on Wednesday are unknown, but details related to the president's itinerary have been released and organizers protesting his presence have been detailed.

Reuters was first to report on the Trump visit to the Apple Inc. manufacturing plant in Northwest Austin, a stop meant to showcase U.S. manufacturing. The tech giant makes it Mac Pro product at the plant, recently announcing a continuation of that local manufacturing.

Company CEO Tim Cook is scheduled to host Trump during his visit along with U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Director of the National Economic Council Larry Kudlow, Senior Advisor to the President Jared Kushner and Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump.

Trump briefly mentioned his trip to Texas to meet with Cook, noting that he's been asking Cook to build Apple facilities in the U.S., according to a White House press pool report. Trump touted the economy and said China "wants to make a deal" on trade, he told reporters.

Patch reached out to the Austin Police Department to find out what roads might be closed on Wednesday to accommodate the presidential motorcade. In an emailed reply, a police spokesperson suggested the locations for potential road closures aren't being released as a matter of security.

By Wednesday morning, the White House had released details on Trump's itinerary while in the capital city:

• 1:20 p.m.: Trump arrives at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
• 1:30 p.m.: The president departs Austin-Bergstrom en route to Apple's Flextronics International plant.
• 2:05 p.m.: Trump arrives at Apple plant.
• 2:20 p.m.: Trump tours the Apple manufacturing plant.
• 3 p.m.: President departs plant.
• 3:35 p.m.: Trump arrives at Austin-Bergstrom.
• 3:45 p.m: President departs Austin en route to Washington, D.C.

Related stories:

• Trump, Apple CEO Reportedly Plan Texas Visit: Reuters
• Apple To Build Its New Mac Pro In Austin
  
• Apple Shifts Mac Pro Production From Austin To China

Only pre-credentialed members of the media will be allowed to cover the event, according to the itinerary details.

In counter to the visit, protesters have scheduled an anti-Trump demonstration from noon to 5 p.m. just outside the Apple plant. The protesters plan to meet near the Flextronics Americas facility where Apple makes its Mac Pro product. In a Wednesday press advisory, protest organizers said the gathering would take place on a public sidewalk at 12221 Riata Trace Parkway.

"Today, Donald Trump visits Austin, and our collective message to him is simple: You can’t bribe us with a shiny APPLE to distract us from the imPEACHment hearings happening at this moment," organizers wrote. " The impeachment inquiry is underway, with new revelations each day about the president and his allies’ pressure campaign to bribe Ukraine’s president to provide dirt on a political opponent. We’ll take this opportunity to carry our message to the president while he’s in our own backyard."

The event is being organized by Indivisible Austin, TX-10 Indivisible, TX21 Indivisible, Texas Sierra Club, Progress Texas, Candidate Julie Oliver, and Why Are You Marching, Texas? according to the Facebook event page. There, 140 people had indicated they would be attending, with just over 500 more expressing their interest in the event.

At last check about 100 people planned to attend the event titled "Say No to Trump in Austin and Yes to Impeachment" with another 300 interested in participating. According to the page, members of Texas Sierra Club, Progress Texas and other chapters of the Indivisible group will join in the protest.

Trump's visit comes as the U.S. House has launched an impeachment inquiry against the president. Trump has been accused of pressuring Ukraine to investigate former vice president Joe Biden in exchange for financial aid in its ongoing war with Russia.

"Bribery and corruption have no place in the oval office," organizers wrote on the event page. "No matter what else we learn, or what desperate tactics Trump tries to use to distract, we believe that Congress must continue to move forward with impeachment because nobody is above the law. We also have one simple question for those elected officials who continue to support and cover for Trump: Do you think it’s OK to ask a foreign power to interfere in our elections?"

Protest organizers warned of potential tension as crews from the ultra-conservative Infowars broadcast invariably confront such protesters under the guise of news reporting. Given their potential presence, protest leaders offered participants advice on how to deal with Infowars confrontational tactics at such scenes, where representatives attempt to instigate reaction from protesters.

"Infowars seeks to provoke conflict and create emotionally charged situations that make it more difficult to maintain a non-violent and safe atmosphere," organizers wrote. "They also use filmed interactions to target and harass those who engage with them. If you are approached by them, we encourage you to simply say, 'I will not talk to you. Leave me alone.' Repeat this phrase over and over if necessary (this is called the 'broken record' method of boundary-setting). Please encourage those around you to do likewise."