Transition of power
Prom
Trump will be present at the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. This will be his initial international trip following the recent election, indicating a shift towards looking beyond the Biden administration for global leaders.
Written by Maggie Haberman
Experienced journalist covering
President-elect Donald J. Trump is scheduled to visit France on Saturday to attend the reopening of the iconic Notre-Dame Cathedral, which was severely damaged by a fire five years ago. This trip will be his first international visit since winning the election last month, and it signifies the swift transition of global leaders from the Biden administration.
President Trump shared on his social media platform, Truth Social, that he was excited to announce his upcoming visit to the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral. He praised President Macron of France for overseeing the restoration of the cathedral to its former glory.
He expressed that the day will be significant for everyone.
The journey has been planned for a few days, as shared by individuals who were informed about the process. There has been at least one phone call between Mr. Trump and Mr. Macron, as reported by one of the individuals.
It is anticipated that President Biden will not be present at the reopening event, but Dr. Jill Biden, the first lady, is expected to attend based on information from a source familiar with the situation.
Since winning a second term by defeating Vice President Kamala Harris, who took over for President Biden on the Democratic ticket, Mr. Trump has mostly stayed at Mar-a-Lago, his private club and residence in Palm Beach, Florida.
The announcement of the trip was not unexpected in some ways. Mr. Trump has a fondness for elaborate ceremonies and grand construction sites, particularly historic ones. This trip also signifies his reentry onto the global platform.
However, this also represents the most recent development in a tense relationship with European partners, especially with Mr. Macron.
The French president, who is dealing with unrest within his own country due to opposition from both the far-right and far-left, praised Mr. Trump at the beginning of his presidency. Macron invited Trump to the Bastille Day celebration in Paris in 2017, and Trump accepted the invitation enthusiastically.
The relationship between Mr. Macron and Mr. Trump turned sour in 2018 when Mr. Macron supported the concept of a European military defense independent of the United States, to counter threats from Russia and China. This clashed with Mr. Trump’s nationalist views, especially as right-wing populist movements, often aligned with Trump, were gaining traction in France and other parts of Europe.
In August 2022, the FBI conducted a search at Mar-a-Lago looking for classified documents, and some of the information seized by federal agents was related to Mr. Macron.
Maggie Haberman is a senior journalist covering the 2024 presidential campaign, other political races, and investigations involving former President Donald J. Trump. Learn more about Maggie Haberman.
Prom
Index of the website
Navigation for information on the