Trump in Paris for the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral and will meet Macron and Prince William

President-elect Donald Trump is making his first international trip since his re-election to the White House. He will join world leaders and dignitaries in Paris to celebrate the renovation and reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral, five years after a devastating fire destroyed the monument.

Earlier this week, Trump said he had accepted an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron. He said Macron had done “a wonderful job ensuring that Notre Dame returned to its full level of glory, and then some. It will be a very special day for everyone!”

Notre-Dame Cathedral seen in Paris, Saturday December 7, 2024. Louise Delmotte / AP

Trump landed at Orly Airport in Paris on Saturday morning. More than 20 French government security agents helped ensure his safety alongside the secret service, according to the French national police. Security is tighter than usual outside the American embassy and other sites around Paris for this grand reopening.

In front of the Elysée, the official residence of the French president, dozens of members of the French Republican Guard awaited Trump's arrival.

French President Emmanuel Macron greets U.S. President-elect Donald Trump before a meeting at the Elysée presidential palace in Paris on December 7, 2024. JULIEN DE ROSA/AFP via Getty Images

The arrival on the big red carpet is the same protocol that the French use to welcome sitting American presidents. It's another sign of Macron and other European leaders' desire to curry favor with Trump and appease him even before he takes office.

Before entering, Trump said: “It certainly seems like the world is going a little crazy right now. And we'll talk about it.”

Notre-Dame was damaged by a fire that raged for 12 hours on April 15, 2019, nearly destroying the iconic 1,200-year-old church. Although experts said at the time that restoration could take up to 40 years, Macron pledged to rebuild in five years.

“The decision to rebuild Notre-Dame was about our ability to save, restore, sometimes reinvent what we are while preserving where we come from,” Macron told 60 Minutes. “It’s a message of success.”

Macron, who has had an up-and-down relationship with Trump, has made it a point to maintain his relationship with the president-elect since he defeated Vice President Kamala Harris last month. But his office nonetheless downplayed the significance of the invitation, saying other politicians not currently in office had also been invited.

President Joe Biden was also invited but will not attend. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre cited a scheduling conflict and said first lady Jill Biden would instead represent the United States.

Trump and the first lady of the United States last met shortly after the election, when he visited the White House for the traditional meeting between the outgoing and incoming presidents.

Trump's visit to France comes as Macron and other European leaders try to cultivate favor with the president-elect and persuade him to maintain support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia's three-year invasion.

People who helped resurrect Notre-Dame 05:58

Before the Notre Dame event, Trump will meet Macron and Britain's Prince William – who will also meet Jill Biden, according to the British royal palace.

Macron will meet separately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday. It is unclear whether Trump will also meet with Zelensky. Trump has pledged to quickly end the war in Ukraine but has not specified how, raising concerns in kyiv about what terms could be set for future negotiations.

In a bid to build trust with the new US administration, Zelensky's top adviser, Andriy Yermak, met with key members of Trump's team during a two-day trip earlier this week. A senior Ukrainian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, called the meetings productive but declined to divulge details.

At the start of Trump's first term, relations between France and the United States were quite warm, but they became increasingly strained over time.

Macron was the guest of honor at Trump's first state dinner, and Trump has visited France several times. But the relationship suffered after Macron criticized Trump for questioning the need for NATO and raising doubts about the U.S. commitment to the mutual defense pact.

During this year's election campaign, Trump often mocked Macron, imitating his accent and threatening to impose high tariffs on bottles of wine and champagne shipped to the United States if France tried to tax them. American companies.

But Macron was one of the first world leaders to congratulate Trump last month after the election.

Last weekend, Trump announced his intention to nominate real estate developer Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, to be ambassador to France. Predecessors in this prestigious role include Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.

Fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral

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