France 24: French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump gave a joint press conference on Thursday as the US leader arrived to take part in Bastille Day celebrations.
“The friendship between our two nations and ourselves is unbreakable,” Trump said after bilateral talks focused on joint US-French efforts to fight terrorism in the Middle East and Africa.
Macron said he and Trump were able to discuss how best to combat “a global threat with enemies who are trying to destabilise us”.
The French president also acknowledged that sharp differences remain with Trump when it comes to the Paris climate agreement but noted that the US withdrawal from the Paris accord was one of Trump’s campaign promises.
“I respect the decision of President Trump,” Macron told a joint news conference in Paris. “As a result he will lead the necessary thought and work that correspond to his campaign promises. For my part, I remain committed to the Paris accord.”
Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, earlier showed the US leader and First Lady Melania Trump around Les Invalides, the site of Napoleon’s tomb, soon after they arrived for their whirlwind, 36-hour visit.
Macron and Trump will dine this evening at the Michelin-starred Jules Verne restaurant, which offers spectacular views over Paris from the second floor of the Eiffel Tower.
Trump will participate in Bastille Day celebrations on Friday, including the traditional military parade down the Champs-Élysées, and will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the US entering into World War I.
