The Asia trip has stirred anxiety among some aides in the White House, largely because developments in the Russia investigation have created a distraction during a critical time of preparation. Trump's aides worry a poorly timed tweet in a region rife with nuclear tensions could derail sensitive talks with leaders in Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines. "He worries about his ability to negotiate with various entities and how much he's hamstrung by this," a second senior White House official said. The White House says the trip has two leading objectives: the rising nuclear threat from North Korea and trade. Amid the raft of news about Russia, however, Trump's aides have acknowledged that Mueller's probe have proven sidetracking.

Source: CNN November 01, 2017 22:42 UTC