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Risk, Reward And Plenty Of Photo Ops: The History Of Presidential Travel Abroad

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Chinese Premier Chou En Lai is flanked by U.S. President Richard Nixon and first lady Pat Nixon, during a farewell banquet in Shanghai marking the Nixons' last day in China, Feb. 28, 1972. (AP)
Chinese Premier Chou En Lai is flanked by U.S. President Richard Nixon and first lady Pat Nixon, during a farewell banquet in Shanghai marking the Nixons' last day in China, Feb. 28, 1972. (AP)

In the early days of the American republic, the idea of a president traveling abroad was considered taboo; critics said it invited corruption. But presidents have made some of their most memorable speeches and influential policies on overseas trips.

Here & Now's Jeremy Hobson talks with historians Ed Ayers (@edward_l_ayers) and Brian Balogh (@historyfellow), who say understanding past presidential journeys may shed light on President Trump's inaugural trip abroad.

Ayers and Balogh are co-hosts of the podcast BackStory, which is produced at the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities.

This segment aired on May 25, 2017.

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