Wayne Newton to join Melania Trump at Invictus Games

Wayne Newton is joining First Lady Melania Trump at the Invictus Games, the annual sports competition for wounded veterans being held in Toronto from Saturday through Sept. 30.

Newton is among those in the presidential delegation for the event. Other invitees, according to the Washington Post, are Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan, Gold Star mom Karen Kelly and ex-pro golfer Nancy Lopez.

Newton, who typically backs Republican office-holders (former Democratic Sen. Harry Reid is a chief exception), has been friendly with the Trump family for years. Newton attended the third presidential debate last October as a guest of then-candidate Donald Trump. Newton has been a longtime supporter of veterans projects, and since 2000 has served as chairman of the USO’s Celebrity Circle, organizing and hosting shows for troops stationed in the Middle East.

In a statement today, Newton thanked Melania Trump for the invitation to join the U.S. delegation, saying, “I have had the great honor and privilege to entertain our men and women in the military in every major confrontation since Vietnam. … Performing for the U.S. Armed Forces has been the highlight of my professional life.

“I think that if I have been given any talent at all in this lifetime, it has been to bring a touch of home to our men and women serving abroad.”

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.