Arkansas Gov. Huckabee Sanders set for second European trade trip

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders left over the weekend for her third overseas trade mission. She announced the trip to the news media Thursday.

Why it matters: A mission to the Paris Air Show in June 2023 yielded deals with aircraft maker Dassault Falcon to expand its operation in Arkansas and defense contractor RTX to build a missile production plant in the state, Sanders claims.

• "This year, I'll continue that success by pitching Arkansas at the Farnborough [International] Air Show in the United Kingdom and meeting with some of our state's major business partners in Germany," Sanders said.

Sanders' second overseas trade mission was in March, when she and other officials traveled to South Korea and Japan.

Sanders' entourage includes , per the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette :

• Department of Commerce Secretary Hugh McDonald
• Clint O'Neal, executive director, and other officials of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission
• First gentleman Bryan Sanders, along with chief of staff Gretchen Conger and deputy chief of staff Judd Deere.

Flashback: Inquiries into expenses paid by the state for Sanders' first trip to Europe, including the price of tickets to EuroDisney and the cost of her security detail, sparked a battle between the administration and journalists over what documents were subject to the state's Freedom of Information laws.

• Ultimately, in a special legislative session, lawmakers voted to shield records related to the security detail of the governor and constitutional officers from public view.

What we're watching: Meetings begin today; Sanders is scheduled to return next week, the Democrat-Gazette reports.