Gov. Hutchinson returns from Europe, off already to Iowa, decries terrorist attack in France

Gov. Asa Hutchinson continued to pick up frequent flyer miles this summer after returning from a busy European trade mission late Thursday night, but he left the state early Friday morning to attend a four-day meeting in Iowa of other U.S. governors.

The governor, in a statement late Friday afternoon, took time to decry the terrorist attacks in Nice, France, on Thursday, only a day after returning from a week-long business trip where he met with executives from the United Kingdom, Germany and the French nation and opened a new Arkansas trade office in Berlin. According to press reports, 84 people were killed and dozens injured on Thursday in France after a lone trucker plowed into a crowd on Bastille Day.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the friends and families of the victims and all those affected by yesterday’s horrific attack in Nice,” Hutchinson said. “This cowardly act of terror, targeting crowds of innocent French people as the country gathered to celebrate their independence day, was a direct attack on the values and freedoms that both the French and Arkansans hold dear.”

Hutchinson ordered state flags to be flown at half-staff in remembrance of the victims of yesterday’s attack. Flags will remain at half-staff until sunset, July 19.

“I speak for all of Arkansas when I say that we stand in solidarity with France against hatred, violence, and terrorism. Our hearts go out to the French people as they seek to heal from yesterday’s horrendous attack,” the governor said.

Arkansas Economic Development Commission spokesman Scott Hardin said the governor and AEDC Chief Mike Preston met with more than 20 companies considering locating a facility in the U.S. or expanding an existing operation already in Arkansas.

“They (also) met with leadership of several European-based companies that have facilities located in the state,” he said.

The Arkansas delegation also attended the Farnborough International Airshow in London on the first two days of Hutchinson’s fourth international trade mission as governor. The GOP leader has made two trips to Europe, and one each to Asia and Cuba.

Hutchinson’s spokesman, J.R. Davis, said the governor and his trade delegation, which included Arkansas Economic Development Commission officials and business officials from the state’s aviation and aerospace industries, only landed back in the Natural State from Europe late yesterday evening.

The traveling chief executive has already left the state again, leaving for Des Moines, Iowa, Friday morning for a busy National Governors Association (NGA) meeting.

“The Governor arrived back in Arkansas late yesterday and flew back out this morning for the National Governors Association in Iowa,” Davis said. “He will depart for the (Republican National Convention) from there.”

Hutchinson was still able to land in Des Moines in time to participate in the NGA’s “governors-only” lunch and business session at that four-day conference which began on Thursday. Friday’s tight NGA schedule included an opening plenary session and luncheon, a press event on the growing opioid and prescription drug epidemic in the U.S., and a panel discussion on generating jobs and foreign investment.

Later this evening, Hutchinson is expected to participate in another exclusive meeting with governors from other states, while the busy agenda also includes an evening reception and other functions. Saturday’s NGA schedule is just as tiring as the previous days. Hutchinson is expected to attend a Republican Governors Association reception at the end of the busy Saturday schedule, and all governors and their spouses attending the NGA meeting will get a tour of the Iowa State Fair that is closed to the press.

According to NGA officials, governors from 22 states, Guam and Puerto Rico registered to attend the association’s four-day summer meeting.

From Iowa, Hutchinson will travel to the GOP Convention in Cleveland, where he is scheduled to speak in primetime on Tuesday at the highly-anticipated coronation of Donald Trump as the GOP candidate for president. In a conference call with reporters last week, the Arkansas governor would not divulge details of what he plans to talk about or if he would officially endorse Trump.

“I am also pleased that I am going to speak to a number of state delegations while I am there, and actively doing some media,” he offered. “My goal as I have the opportunity to go to the convention is to help shape the debate, to help broadcast some of the (political) successes in Arkansas, and obviously to make sure that we have a convention that lays a good foundation for Donald Trump to run on in the fall.”

U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., is set to speak on Monday night of the GOP Convention. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Attorney General Leslie Rutledge are also on tap to speak at other functions at the event, which will last from July 18-21.