Donald Trump is off on his first international trip as president-elect, ready to join world leaders and dignitaries in Paris for a Saturday celebration of the renovation of Notre Dame Cathedral after a devastating fire in 2019.
Trump wrote when he accepted the invitation earlier this week that French President Emmanuel Macron had done "a wonderful job ensuring that Notre Dame has been restored to its full level of glory, and even more so. It will be a very special day for all!”
Since Trump touched down at Paris’ Orly Airport on Saturday morning, more than 20 French government security agents have been helping ensure his safety alongside the Secret Service, according to French national police. A special French police van has also provided anti-drone protection for Trump’s convoy.
Security is tighter than usual outside the U.S. Embassy and other sites around Paris for the grandiose Notre Dame reopening, where dozens of international VIPs are expected.
Get top local stories in Philly delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC Philadelphia's News Headlines newsletter.
Macron, who has had an up-and-down relationship with Trump, has made a point of cultivating a relationship with the president-elect since he defeated Vice President Kamala Harris last month. But his office nonetheless played down the significance of the invitation, saying that other politicians who do not currently hold office had been invited as well.
Trump was invited as president-elect of a “friendly nation,” Macron's office said, adding, “This is in no way exceptional, we’ve done it before."
President Joe Biden was invited as well but will not attend. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre cited a scheduling conflict and said that the first lady, Jill Biden, will instead represent the U.S.
Trump and the U.S. first lady last encountered one another shortly after the election, when he visited the White House for the traditional meeting between outgoing and incoming presidents.
Trump's visit to France comes as Macron and other European leaders are trying to cultivate the president-elect's favor and persuade him to maintain support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s three-year invasion.
Ahead of the Notre Dame event, Trump will meet with Macron and Britain's Prince William — who's also meeting with Jill Biden, according to the British royal palace.
Macron will convene separately Saturday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It's not clear whether Trump will meet Zelenskyy, too. Trump has vowed to end the war in Ukraine swiftly but has not specified how, raising concerns in Kyiv about what terms may be laid out for any future negotiations.
In an effort to build trust with the incoming U.S. administration, Zelenskyy’s top aide Andriy Yermak met key members of Trump’s team on a two-day trip earlier this week. A senior Ukrainian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak publicly, described the meetings as productive, but declined to disclose details.
Relations between France and the U.S. during Trump’s first term began warmly enough but grew increasingly strained over time.
Macron was the guest of honor at Trump’s first state dinner, and Trump traveled to France several times. But the relationship suffered after Macron criticized Trump for questioning the need for NATO and raising doubts about America’s commitment to the mutual defense pact.
On the campaign trail this year, Trump often mocked Macron, imitating his accent and threatening to impose steep tariffs on wine and champagne bottles shipped to the U.S. if France tried to tax American companies.
But Macron was one of the first global leaders to congratulate Trump last month after the election.
Trump was president in 2019 when a massive fire engulfed Notre Dame, collapsing its spire and threatening to destroy one of the world’s greatest architectural treasures, known for its mesmerizing stained glass.
“So horrible to watch the massive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris,” he wrote on what was then Twitter, offering his advice to the city.
“Perhaps flying water tankers could be used to put it out. Must act quickly!” he wrote.
French officials appeared to respond shortly after, noting that “All means” were being used to extinguish the flames, “except for water-bombing aircrafts which, if used, could lead to the collapse of the entire structure of the cathedral.”
Last weekend, Trump announced that he intends to nominate real estate developer Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to serve as ambassador to France. Predecessors in that prestigious role include Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.
___
Associated Press writers Jill Colvin in New York, Hanna Arhirova in Kyiv and Danica Kirka in London contributed to this report.
