President-elect Trump is set to make his first overseas trip since his presidential election victory, with a stop in Paris to attend the official reopening of the newly restored Notre Dame Cathedral. Trump has been invited by French President Emmanuel Macron, who sees the event as an opportunity to strengthen U.S.-French relations under the new administration.
Trump will be joined by First Lady Jill Biden, and will hold court with world leaders, marking his unofficial return to the global stage. The trip comes after a slew of calls from international leaders congratulating Trump on his White House victory.
The visit is seen as a major moment in French history, and a chance for Macron to reset the tone of U.S.-French relations. Macron has been weakened in his own country and on the European continent, and sees Trump as an opportunity to restore his lost luster as the European leader who can most effectively engage with the new American president.
Trump has already taken a number of calls from international leaders, and has weighed in on several international conflicts, including the volatile Middle East. His social media post warning Hamas that “ALL HELL TO PAY” if they do not release all hostages held in Gaza before his inauguration on January 20 has drawn significant attention.
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden’s recent trip to Angola has been overshadowed by Trump’s trip to Paris. Analysts argue that world leaders have already started to engage directly with the incoming Trump administration, and that Biden’s efforts to cement his legacy are being ignored. Trump’s bold approach to foreign policy is seen as a major departure from Biden’s, and has already begun to shape world events.
