Pooches and politics mixed at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday afternoon when President Donald Trump made a guest appearance at the sold-out Wine, Women & Shoes annual fundraiser for Big Dog Ranch Rescue at Mar-a-Lago.



Trump dropped by the sold-out event at about 4 p.m., shortly after returning from 6-plus hours of golf at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach that included a round with 10-time LPGA champion Lexi Thompson.



“We want to thank all of you, you’re very special people,” said Trump, wearing a red USA hat and dark sports jacket over a golf shirt, adding that he had to stop by Big Dog Ranch's event despite his hair being messed. “What you are doing is so important.”

>>READ ALSO: GOP stars Lara Trump, Pam Bondi, Matt Gaetz back greyhound adoptions



The president posed for selfies, then left amid calls for him to adopt a dog. Trump’s appearance followed brief comments at the fundraiser several hours earlier by his daughter-in-law Lara Trump, who co-chaired the event.



Lara Trump, the owner of two rescue pups and a relentless animal welfare activist, praised the Loxahatchee-based group, the largest no-kill dog rescue in the Southeastern United States.



“It would be easy to take the very easy cases, the puppies that everybody likes,” Trump said. “But they take in every dog they get, no matter what, they never say no.”

>>RELATED: Lara Trump to help find homes for 3K greyhounds



The group’s founder, Lauree Simmons, said it was a coincidence that the group scheduled its biggest fundraiser on a weekend when the president was visiting.



The annual event has consistently drawn several hundred attendees, mostly women. However, this year the luncheon, now the biggest daytime fundraiser at the club, sold 600 tickets at $500 and $1,000.

Simmons made headlines last September when some employees said she implemented a ban on Nike apparel in response to Nike’s marketing campaign that featured Colin Kaepernick, the ex-NFL star who in 2016 launched a kneel-down protest during the playing of the national anthem at sporting events. President Trump has strongly criticized Kaepernick and other NFL players for kneeling during the anthem.

>>OTHER STORIES: With Melania, Ivanka off campaign trail, Lara Trump fills void



Simmons’ spokesman denied there was a ban but said Simmons did offer to replace her employees’ Nike sneakers with alternate brands. Simmons said she felt kneeling was “extremely disrespectful to the brave men and women who have gone and fought for this country.”



In a show of patriotism since then, Big Dog Ranch Rescue launched a program that will train 250 rescues as service dogs for vets — a cause that Lara Trump is currently backing in Washington.



Trump said she hopes to put together an event at the White House with vets and their service dogs and is pushing for the Department of Defense to implement a protocol for reuniting combat K-9s with their handlers.



Trump said she came to town Friday night and attended a Republican fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago where her father-in-law spoke. She will compete in a triathlon in Fort Lauderdale on Sunday before returning to New York.



The president is expected to speak at another fundraiser on Sunday afternoon before returning to Washington, D.C with first lady Melania Trump. The couple’s 12-year-old son, Barron, did not accompany his parents to Florida.



Trump and the first lady arrived at Palm Beach International Airport at about 4:30 p.m. on Friday after touring the devastation caused by tornadoes in Alabama.



The political fundraisers at Mar-a-Lago are part of the Republican National Committee’s annual springtime retreat for major donors. Others expected at the events include Commerce Secretary and Palm Beach resident Wilbur Ross, Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon, Trump 2020 Campaign Manager Brad Parscale, Donald Trump Jr. and his girlfriend, former Fox News personality Kimberly Guilfoyle.



The daytime Sunday fundraiser with the president is expected to include between 300 and 500 people for a “low-dollar” affair with tickets starting at $2,500.



Mar-a-Lago was expected to be the venue for a summit later this month between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. In a Feb. 24 tweet, Trump said he would finalize a trade agreement with Xi at Mar-a-Lago in March.



However, the U.S. ambassador to China said on Friday that the summit had been delayed because the deal was still under discussion, according to a report in the South China Morning Post. White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said the trade agreement has to “pass through the political filter of President Xi and the Politburo,” before a summit, possibly in April, Kudlow told the Post.



In mid-February, China had suggested that the leaders sign a the agreement in Hainan, a tropical island off China’s southern coast. Trump responded that he would meet with Xi at Mar-a-Lago in March.



Mar-a-Lago closes for the summer season on Mother’s Day, May 12, and overseas workers must return to their countries.

cstapleton@pbpost.com

@StapletonPBPost

Editor's Note: The following is the Palm Beach Post's rolling updates of news from Saturday.



Update 3:46 p.m.

After 6-1/2 hours at his golf club, the president has returned to Mar-a-Lago and is not expected to leave for the rest of the day.

Update 3:33 p.m.

The president's motorcade has just left Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, where he golfed with Lexi Thompson, a 10-time winner of the LPGA.

Update 3:05 p.m.

Despite the president's claim in a Feb. 24 tweet that he would finalize a trade agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago in March, the U.S. ambassador to China said on Friday that the summit had been delayed because the deal was still under discussion, according to a report in the South China Morning Post.

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said the trade agreement has to "pass through the political filter of President Xi and the Politburo," before a summit, possibly in April, Kudlow told the Post.

In mid-February, China had suggested that the leaders sign a the agreement in Hainan, a tropical island off China's southern coast. Trump responded that he would meet with Xi at Mar-a-Lago in March.

In Beijing, the minister of commerce did not respond to a question about a delay to the summit, saying instead that he was optimistic about progress, the Post reported.

Mar-a-Lago closes for the summer season on Mother's Day, May 12.

Update 12:27 p.m.

The president started golfing with professional player Lexi Thompson at about 11:11 a.m. at his golf course, according to a White House press pool report. The president has played with Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus during past visits to Palm Beach County. He also golfed with acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney on Presidents Day, Feb. 18.

Update 10:30 a.m.

Pooches are about to Trump politics at Mar-a-Lago as the annual fundraiser for Big Dog Ranch Rescue gets underway. The sold-out event is the largest daytime event at the president's club and is a favorite of his daughter-in-law Lara Trump, wife of the president's son Eric and an owner of two rescue pups herself.

>>READ ALSO: GOP stars Lara Trump, Pam Bondi, Matt Gaetz back greyhound adoptions

The event, Wine, Women & Shoes, is expected to draw about 600, mostly women, and an undisclosed number of dogs. Lara Trump, a relentless animal welfare activist who campaigned in Florida last year for the passage of a constitutional amendment to end greyhound racing, is expected to speak at the luncheon.

>>RELATED: Lara Trump to help find homes for 3K greyhounds

Check back later for our exclusive interview with Lara and the folks from Big Dog Ranch Rescue.

>>OTHER STORIES: With Melania, Ivanka off campaign trail, Lara Trump fills void

The president remains at his golf club in West Palm Beach despite a light rain that has just begun to fall.

View this post on Instagram

All ready for the #bigdogranchrescue luncheon. Very excited for the fashion show. Get ready for lots of pictures. Many thanks to @elsarod_27 @elisitin for all the help. #winewomenandshoes #designer #designerclothes #fashiondesigner

A post shared by OZCAR G®/OSCAR LOPEZ OFFICIAL (@realoscarlopez) onMar 9, 2019 at 6:56am PST

9:10 a.m.

The president's motorcade has just arrived at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. The press pool is hunkered down in the Palm Beach County Library across the street. We have some clouds moving in. 50/50 chance of rain.

9:07 a.m.

The president just posted his first tweet of the day about one of his favorite subjects: The wall.

Border Patrol and Law Enforcement has apprehended (captured) large numbers of illegal immigrants at the Border. They won’t be coming into the U.S. The Wall is being built and will greatly help us in the future, and now!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)March 9, 2019

9:02 a.m.

The president has just left Mar-a-Lago. Looks like he's headed towards Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. Palm Beach Post staff writer Chris Persaud is embedded with the president's press pool today.

Press pool heading westpic.twitter.com/YatUwAvU55

— Chris (@ChrisMPersaud)March 9, 2019

6:51 a.m.

Good morning. It's 73-degrees and partly cloudy at Mar-a-Lago, with a high of 77 degrees expected today in Palm Beach. The president's plans for today aren't known but the weather could not be better for golf. (It's 36 degrees and cloudy at the White House. Just sayin...)

No tweets yet, but the day is young.

>>PHOTOS: President Trump returns to Palm Beach March 8, 2019

The president and first lady Melania Trump arrived at Palm Beach International Airport at 4:30 p.m. on Friday after visiting victims of devastating hurricanes in Alabama. Noticeably absent was the couple's 12-year-old son, Barron, who often travels with his parents for weekend visits to Mar-a-Lago.

.@realDonaldTrump &@FLOTUS arrive at PBIA.#TrumpInPalmBeachpic.twitter.com/PfzvVG4bXm

— George Bennett (@gbennettpost)March 8, 2019

Unlike his last arrival, when the president spent 20 minutes on the tarmac signing hats and talking with supporters, the president offered a quick wave, then stepped into the presidential limousine with the first lady and went directly to Mar-a-Lago.

A few hundred people lined Southern Boulevard to watch the motorcade, with Trump supporters outnumbering opponents. Near the Southdale Shopping Center, two people hoisted a red “Trump 2020” sign while a man held a “Welcome Fascists” sign and other signs read “Impeach the Russian Asset,” “Liar” and “NRA Trump Kills Our Kids.”



Farther east on Southern Boulevard, a crowd of about 100 Trump supporters greeted the president with several large “Trump 2020” signs and flags, as well as a life-size cardboard photo of the president, a hand-lettered “Trump Won Get Over It” sign and one that said “The Best President In U.S. History.”

...and a smaller number of@realDonaldTrump critics.pic.twitter.com/SLmBnSjkl1

— George Bennett (@gbennettpost)March 8, 2019

The president spoke to about 300 donors at an event Friday night at Mar-a-Lago and is expected to appear at a fundraiser on Sunday afternoon at his club. Although his plans for today aren't known, Trump's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, is expected to attend the annual fundraiser luncheon for Big Dog Ranch Rescue at the club.

cstapleton@pbpost.com

@StapletonPBPost

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