Donald Trump is embarking on his first international trip as president-elect, heading to Paris to join world leaders in celebrating the completion of the renovation of Notre Dame Cathedral. The cathedral had suffered severe damage from a fire in 2019, sparking global concern. In his acceptance of the invitation, Trump praised French President Emmanuel Macron for his leadership in restoring the historic site. “A fantastic job making sure that Notre Dame is restored to its former glory, and even more. It will be a very special day for all!”.
Macron’s Efforts and Relationship with Trump
Despite an inconsistent relationship over the years, Macron has made an effort to cultivate a working rapport with the president-elect. Macron’s office, however, downplayed the special nature of the invitation, explaining that similar invitations had been extended to other former officeholders in the past. “This is in no way exceptional, we’ve done it before,” the office stated.
White House Representation and Key Meetings
President Joe Biden was also invited but will not be attending. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre cited a scheduling conflict, noting that First Lady Jill Biden would represent the U.S. at the event. Meanwhile, Trump’s visit to Paris comes as European leaders, including Macron, seek to foster goodwill with him and encourage continued support for Ukraine amid Russia’s prolonged invasion. On Saturday, Trump is scheduled to hold a meeting with Macron and Britain’s Prince William, who will also be interacting with Jill Biden.
Ukrainian Concerns and Trump’s Stance on Ukraine
Macron will be having a separate meeting with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but it remains unknown if Trump will be holding a meeting with him too. Trump said he intends to win the war in Ukraine quickly; details about his strategy haven’t been outlined, creating much skepticism in Kyiv on how negotiations may eventually occur. Earlier this week, President Zelenskyy’s aide, Andriy Yermak held a productive meeting over two days with members of President Trump’s team without offering details.
Past Relations and Trump’s Historic Notre Dame Response
During Trump’s first term, U.S.-France relations had a promising beginning but gradually deteriorated. Macron was the guest of honor at Trump’s first state dinner, and Trump visited France several times. However, tensions were brewing when Macron criticized Trump’s NATO stance and tariffs on French imports. Although during the campaign the previous president took shots at Macron—spoofing his accent, even threatening tariffs on wine coming from France—Macron was swift to praise Trump in X after election day: “Congratulations, President @realDonaldTrump. Ready to work together as we did for four years. With your convictions and mine. With respect and ambition. For more peace and prosperity.”
In 2019, then-president Trump had spoken up about the Notre Dame fire; he had suggested water tankers could be utilized for extinguishing the fire. The French officials promptly elaborated that “all means” were in use, apart from water-bombing aircraft, which would have collapsed parts of the building.
In other related news, Trump announced over the weekend that he plans to nominate Charles Kushner, a real estate developer and the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, as ambassador to France. That is a position of considerable historical prestige, having been filled by notable figures such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.
