When Trí was informed that coup was imminent, he left Huế on 29 October 1963 for Đà Nẵng, so he would be away from Ngô Đình Cẩn, Diệm's younger brother, who ruled central Vietnam from for the Ngô family.
Following the arrest and assassination of Diệm in early November 1963, there was pressure on the new regime to remove Diệm supporters from power.