NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump will make his first overseas trip since his election this weekend, attending a ceremony marking the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
The cathedral is scheduled to reopen on Saturday after more than five years of reconstruction after a devastating fire in 2019 gutted and nearly destroyed the towering Paris landmark. The ceremonies, which will be held on Saturday and Sunday, will be heavily guarded and will be attended by about 50 heads of state and government.
President Trump announced Monday night in a post on his Truth Social site that he would be one of them.
“I am proud to announce that I will be traveling to Paris, France on Saturday to attend the reopening of the magnificent and historic Notre Dame Cathedral, which has been completely restored after a devastating fire five years ago.” he wrote. . “President Emmanuel Macron has done a great job in restoring Notre Dame to its full glory. It will be a very special day for everyone!”
This is President Trump’s first overseas trip since winning the presidential election in November. As a candidate, he traveled to Scotland and Ireland in May 2023, visiting local golf courses.
In 2019, when Trump was president, a massive fire engulfed Notre Dame Cathedral, collapsing its spire and threatening to destroy one of the world’s greatest architectural treasures, known for its mesmerizing stained glass. there were.
President Trump, along with the rest of the world, watched in horror.
“It’s truly horrifying to see the huge fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris,” he wrote on what was then called Twitter, offering advice for the city of Paris.
“Maybe we can use flying water trucks to extinguish the fire. We must act fast!” he wrote.
French authorities appeared to react quickly, saying that “all means” had been used to put out the fire “with the exception of water bombers, which, if used, could lead to the collapse of the entire structure of the cathedral.”
Trump also said he spoke with Macron and Pope Francis at the time to express his condolences and offer “the cooperation of our great experts in renovation and construction.”
Trump and Macron have a complicated relationship.
During Trump’s first term, Macron has been one of the world leaders most adept at controlling the American president’s whims, seeking to forge personal connections built in no small part on flattery. This has been proven.
Macron was the guest of honor at Trump’s first state dinner, and Trump has visited France several times. However, relations deteriorated as Trump’s term progressed, with Macron criticizing Trump for questioning the need for NATO and questioning the U.S. commitment to the mutual defense pact.
Trump, who is running for a second term this year, has often mocked Macron during the campaign by imitating Macron’s accent, saying that if France were to tax American companies, they would have to pay less for wine shipped to the United States. He threatened to impose heavy tariffs on bottles of champagne.
After Mr Trump won re-election last month, Mr Macron rushed to win the support of the next president. He was one of the first world leaders to congratulate Trump, even before the Associated Press reported the race in Trump’s favor, overwhelming British Prime Minister Keir Starmer with a congratulatory phone call.
“Congratulations President @realDonaldTrump,” Macron posted on X in the early morning hours of Nov. 6. “We are ready to work together, as we have for four years. With your and my beliefs. With respect and ambition. For greater peace and prosperity.”
President Macron and other European leaders are trying to persuade President Trump not to abandon U.S. aid to Ukraine in its nearly three-year fight against Russian aggression. European leaders see a Russian victory as a defeat for the United States and, by extension, the president-elect, and hope to persuade President Trump of the need to pursue an end to the war in Kiev’s favor. If not I might look for it.
Over the weekend, President Trump announced his intention to nominate real estate developer Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, as ambassador to France. Kushner pleaded guilty several years ago to tax evasion and illegal campaign contributions and was pardoned by President Trump in December 2020.
The reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral will be an elaborate multi-day celebration starting Saturday.
According to the cathedral’s website, Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich will preside over a reopening service that afternoon, where he and his staff will knock on Notre Dame’s shuttered doors to reopen them.
The archbishop will also symbolically evoke Notre Dame Cathedral’s roaring grand organ. A fire that melted the cathedral’s lead roof covered the giant musical instrument in toxic dust. The 8,000 pipes have been painstakingly disassembled, cleaned and reconditioned.
Mr Macron is expected to attend and address VIP guests.
After the service, opera singer Pretty Yende from South Africa and Julie Fuchs from France appeared. Chinese pianist Lang Lang. Yo-Yo Ma is a cellist born in Paris. Benin-born singer Angelique Kidjo. According to broadcaster France Television, Lebanese singer Hiba Tawaji and others will perform at a concert on Saturday night.
On Sunday morning, the Archbishop of Paris will preside at the inaugural Mass and the dedication of the new altar.
The celebration will be attended by priests from all 106 parishes of the Diocese of Paris, as well as nearly 170 bishops from France and other countries. After Mass there will be a “Brother Buffet” for the poor.
The Ile de la Cité, where the cathedral is located in the middle of the Seine River, will be closed to tourists due to the event. A public viewing area capable of accommodating 40,000 spectators will be set up on the south bank of the Seine.
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