Trump and first lady to tour Taj Mahal during India visit

By JILL COLVIN

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump will tour the Taj Mahal when they visit India next week in a trip tailor-made for a president who loves grandeur and adoring crowds.

The two-day visit will begin with a Monday rally at the world’s largest cricket stadium in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state. Modi has promised Trump an epic turnout that Trump has bragged about for days.

“He told me we’ll have 7 million people between the airport and the event,” Trump told reporters Tuesday — only to boost the number by 3 million during a Thursday night rally.

After the rally, the Trumps will go to the Taj Mahal, widely considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. Trump rarely visits cultural sites when he travels internationally, preferring to return quickly back home. But he has had long-running business ties to India, along with the former “Trump Taj Mahal” hotel and casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

On Tuesday, he will participate in ceremonial events and meet with government officials, business leaders, and embassy staff, followed by a dinner at the presidential palace.

The official delegation will include top administration officials including Trump’s daughter and senior adviser Ivanka Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner.

An administration official outlined details of the trip on a conference call with reporters, on condition that the official not be named.