france president visit

Watch CBS News

Biden calls France "our first friend" and enduring ally during state visit in Paris

Updated on: June 8, 2024 / 8:09 PM EDT / AP

President Biden said France was America's "first friend" at its founding and is one of its closest allies more than two centuries later as he was honored with a state visit Saturday by French President Emmanuel Macron aimed at showing off their partnership on global security issues and easing past trade tensions.

Mr. Biden and Macron attended ceremonies marking the  80th anniversary of D-Day  on Thursday and met separately the following day with  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris . The leaders both used those engagements used to underscore the urgent need to support Kyiv's fight against Russia's invasion.

But Macron and Mr. Biden have often chafed at the pace of support for Ukraine, especially as the United States, by far the largest contributor to Kyiv's defense, was forced to pause aid shipments for months while congressional Republicans held up an assistance package.

The state visit began with a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe, including a wreath-laying at France's tomb of the unknown soldier, and a military parade along the Champs-Élysées leading to the Élysée Palace, where the two held official meetings and delivered public statements. Later, there was a state dinner held at the palace for Mr. Biden and his wife, first lady Jill Biden.

"United we stand, divided we fall," Macron said in toasting Mr. Biden at the state dinner. "Allied we are and allied we will stay."  

The American president followed Macron's toast by saying the U.S. and France have been "unyielding as well as unwavering in our partnership," adding, "That's what democracies do."  

Mr. Biden and Macron put the war in Ukraine at the top of Saturday's agenda, but it was the strength of the countries' long alliance, fortified at Normandy 80 years ago but with roots far deeper, that was the centerpiece of the weekend.

Calling himself a student of French history, Biden said the visit was a "great honor" and he noted that America's ties to France date to the Revolutionary War.

"France was our first friend," Mr. Biden said. "It remains one of our best friends."

Macron praised Mr. Biden as not just the leader of a world power but also for bringing the "clarity and loyalty of a partner that loves and respects the Europeans."

It appeared to be a subtle criticism of former President Donald Trump, whose "America First" foreign policy has shaken European leaders. They are now contending, gingerly, with the possibility of his return to power next year should the presumptive Republican nominee defeat the Democratic incumbent in November's election.

Macron hosted Trump for Bastille Day in 2017, and the French president came to Washington for a state visit in 2018 before their relationship soured.

Despite disagreements over whether to send allies trainers onto Ukrainian soil to support the country's defense against Russia's invasion, Macron insisted that, "I think we see eye to eye on this war raging in Ukraine. He tempered his previous concerns about U.S. commitment to Europe — which he has used to argue that the continent must do more to provide for its own defense — to praise Biden's leadership: "Thank you for being at Europe's side."

Macron expressed hope that when the Group of Seven leaders meet this coming week in Italy they will agree to a $50 billion "solidarity fund" for Ukraine that will be backed by sanctioned Russian assets.

The two leaders also celebrated the rescue Saturday by Israeli forces of four hostages taken by Hamas. "We won't stop working until all the hostages come home and a cease-fire is reached," Biden said as Macron called out the Israeli government for not doing more to get humanitarian assistance into Gaza.

Macron said he supported a Biden-promoted cease-fire proposal that would allow a surge of humanitarian assistance into the territory and allow for the release of more hostages. The U.S. has said it is awaiting Hamas' formal response to the potential deal.

The French leader raised the issue of U.S. trade practices that he has often criticized, including the Inflation Reduction Act, which favors American-made climate technology such as electric vehicles. Macron said the U.S., like China, has "decided not to respect the rules of global trade" by shoring up protections and subsidies while Europe's industry remains open and is stuck in overregulation.

As the pair met outside the palace, Biden appeared to suggest to his host that that the U.S. and Europe could "coordinate together," and he was heard telling Macron about his most recent conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who was objecting to steep U.S. tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.

Biden hosted Macron in December 2022 at the White House for  the first state visit of his presidency  as the COVID-19 pandemic receded.

As the president's trip draws to a close, the far right is likely to emerge as one of the biggest winners in Sunday's European Parliament election while Macron's pro-European Union movement is flagging.

• Biden Administration
• Emmanuel Macron
• European Union

More from CBS News

Harris details Biden's phone call about decision to exit 2024 race

Ukraine army says U.S.-made F-16 fighter jet crashes, killing pilot

Most of wolf pack caught after 7 children, 1 woman killed in India

When do the Paralympics start and end? See the 2024 Paris Games schedule

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

With French President Macron's state visit, expect a mix of diplomacy and glamour

Franco Ordoñez

American and French flags are in place on the Old Executive Office Building on the White House campus on Tuesday in Washington in advance of the state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron. Andrew Harnik/AP hide caption

American and French flags are in place on the Old Executive Office Building on the White House campus on Tuesday in Washington in advance of the state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron.

President Biden is hosting his first state dinner at the White House Thursday for French President Emmanuel Macron, a return to some of the more ceremonial diplomatic activities that were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The White House says the visit by Macron and his wife, Brigitte, will underscore the deep relationship with the United States' oldest ally.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said France is not only the United State's oldest ally, but a "vital global partner" on a number of critical issues.

"If you look at what's going on in Ukraine, look at what's going on in the Indo-Pacific and the tensions with China, France is really at the center of all those things," Kirby said. "And so the president felt that this was exactly the right and the most appropriate country to start with for state visits."

A state visit is one of the most glamourous events held at the White House. It includes an elaborate arrival ceremony, press conference between the two leaders and a black-tie dinner, which this year will feature a performance by Grammy Award winner Jon Batiste.

The Macrons arrived Tuesday night for the three-day visit that also includes a stop at NASA headquarters with Vice President Harris and lunch at the State Department.

During their stay, Macron and his wife will sleep at the historic Blair House, across the street from the White House.

French President Emmanuel Macron, left, and Vice President Kamala Harris speak during a meeting to highlight space cooperation between the two countries at NASA headquarters in Washington, on Wednesday. Alex Brandon/AP hide caption

French President Emmanuel Macron, left, and Vice President Kamala Harris speak during a meeting to highlight space cooperation between the two countries at NASA headquarters in Washington, on Wednesday.

As a signal of France's importance, Macron is actually returning for his second state visit. He was also the first guest of former President Donald Trump's at a state dinner.

Macron has become a critical ear for Biden on the other side of the Atlantic

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has retired and the Britain's Boris Johnson resigned, which has left the 44-year-old Macron, even though he's young, as one of the most experienced European leaders.

First Trump State Dinner Brings Billionaires And Administration Officials

"France has jumped to the head of the queue," said Charles Kupchan, who was a senior adviser on European issues in the Obama White House. "America's go-to partner used to be the United Kingdom, but the U.K. has left the European Union and has been tied up in political knots."

It also symbolizes the recovery of a key relationship that deteriorated over a submarine deal with Australia last year that infuriated France.

The two teams say they're looking forward and focused on the most urgent global issues, including Russia's war in Ukraine and the challenges posed by China and Iran.

The leaders are also expected to discuss the climate, energy issues and economic cooperation.

Biden admits to France's leader that a contentious defense deal was handled poorly

But the visit is not without its fair share of challenges.

While there are lingering issues of trust in the defense sector following the submarine fiasco, the war in Ukraine has put those issues in perspective, said Célia Belin, a former policy adviser in the French foreign ministry.

"The war has reminded everybody of what is really at stake," said Belin, who is now a Paris-based fellow for the Brookings Institution. "And what's most important is transatlantic solidarity."

But she said the war hasn't erased all the other challenges the two country's face.

One of the big ones is France's concerns about Biden's climate and infrastructure bill.

French President Emmanuel Macron welcomes President Biden before their meeting at the French Embassy to the Vatican in Rome on Oct. 29, 2021. Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

French President Emmanuel Macron welcomes President Biden before their meeting at the French Embassy to the Vatican in Rome on Oct. 29, 2021.

French officials have raised concerns about Biden's "Made in America" electric car provisions , which French leaders say could put European car makers at a disadvantage. And Macron has warned Europe may have to take action in response, including granting subsidies for European companies.

Martin Quencez, the deputy director of the German Marshall Fund's Paris office, says if the Biden administration is as committed as it says it is to the alliance around the world, then it needs to take into consideration the effects of its domestic politics policies on the same allies.

"The economic measures that are taken by the Biden administration makes perfect sense from a domestic American perspective," Quencez said. "But if it has damaging effects for like this has to be discussed and this is something to be reconciled by the Biden administration, you want stronger allies. You can't actually harm them by imposing this in a unilateral way."

Mobile Menu Overlay

The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500

Joint Statement Following the Meeting Between President   Biden and President   Macron

Today, the President of the United States and the President of the French Republic met in Washington during the first State Visit of the Biden-Harris Administration. This special occasion reaffirms a relationship founded on more than two centuries of friendship, economic partnership, defense and security cooperation, and shared commitment to democratic principles, values, and institutions. France is the United States’ oldest ally, and while our relationship is rooted in history, it is oriented squarely toward the future. Building on their joint statement of October 29, 2021, the leaders outlined a shared vision to strengthen security and increase prosperity worldwide, combat climate change, build greater resilience to its effects, and advance democratic values. This vision is built on a shared conviction that the United States and its European allies and partners can better face our greatest challenges and capitalize on our most promising opportunities together. This includes addressing global issues such as climate change and energy transition, investing in technologies and building resilient value chains in strategic sectors such as health, semiconductors, and critical minerals, as well as strengthening our security and defense cooperation.  Transatlantic, European and Global Security  The Presidents resolve to continue working tirelessly for a Europe that is whole, free, and at peace. This entails maintaining our nations’ collective defense and security, including through NATO; pursuing a more robust, integrated, and coherent approach to building national and collective resilience against military and non-military threats to our security; and promoting international stability in response to the full range of current threats. The Presidents recognize the importance of a stronger and more capable European defense that contributes positively to transatlantic and global security and is complementary to and interoperable with NATO.  European-led missions and operations, such as in Bosnia and the training mission for Ukraine, are positively contributing to transatlantic security. The Presidents commend the U.S.-France defense relationship and welcome the Statement of Intent signed on November 30, 2022, by the U.S. Secretary of Defense and French Minister of Armed Forces, which allows for increased interoperability and enhanced cooperation in the areas of space, cyberspace, intelligence, and countering malign influence. The Presidents intend to expand defense cooperation on advanced capabilities and key technologies that will be critical to deterrence and defense in the future.  They welcome progress made by the U.S.-France Defense Trade Strategic Dialogue in fostering shared views on defense market access and export issues. The United States and France intend to continue our cooperation to enhance the efficiency of the defense export authorization process, with a view to developing stronger and interoperable defense industrial bases in Europe and in the United States as a means to deliver better military capabilities for the benefit of the Alliance.  Ukraine  The Presidents strongly condemn Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and stress that intentionally targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure constitutes war crimes whose perpetrators must be held accountable. They also condemn and reject Russia’s illegal attempted annexation of sovereign Ukrainian territory, in clear violation of international law. The United States and France deplore Russia’s deliberate escalatory steps, notably its irresponsible nuclear rhetoric and its disinformation regarding alleged chemical attacks, and biological and nuclear weapons programs. They reaffirm their nations’ continued support for Ukraine’s defense of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, including the provision of political, security, humanitarian, and economic assistance to Ukraine for as long as it takes.  This includes the provision of significant resources to support Ukrainian civilian resilience through the winter, including stepping up the delivery of air defense systems and equipment needed to repair Ukraine’s energy grid. The United States and France plan to continue working with partners and allies to coordinate assistance efforts, including at the international conference taking place in Paris on December 13, 2022. They also intend to continue providing robust direct budget support for Ukraine, and to urge the international financial institutions to scale up their financial support. The United States and France reiterate their duty to uphold applicable international obligations and the principles and purposes of the UN Charter. They also reiterate their steadfast resolve to hold Russia to account for widely documented atrocities and war crimes, committed both by its regular armed forces and by its proxies, including mercenary entities such as Vagner and others, through support for international accountability mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court, the Ukrainian prosecutor general, UN Human Rights Council Commission of Inquiry, and the OSCE Moscow Mechanism, sanctions, and other means.  The United States and France remain committed to addressing the wider effects of Russia’s war, including working with the international community to build greater resilience to food and energy disruptions.   Indo-Pacific  The United States and France, two nations of the Indo-Pacific, are strengthening their partnership in the Indo-Pacific region to advance prosperity, security, and shared values based on a rules-based international order, transparent governance, fair economic practices, and respect for international law, including freedom of navigation. The United States and France intend to expand their regional diplomatic, development, and economic engagement with a view to building resilience in the Pacific Islands. They also intend to increase practical coordination in the region on maritime security. The United States intends to increase its support and material contributions to air and maritime deployments conducted by France and other European nations in the region.  The United States and France will continue to coordinate on our concerns regarding China’s challenge to the rules-based international order, including respect for human rights, and to work together with China on important global issues like climate change. The Presidents reaffirm the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Both leaders also strongly condemn the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) unprecedented number of unlawful ballistic missile tests this year that violate multiple UN Security Council resolutions and pose a threat to regional peace and stability, and are committed to continue coordination at the UN Security Council to address DPRK violations. Africa  The Presidents renew their resolve to work with African partners to pursue shared governance, security, and economic priorities on the continent. They affirm the importance of African voices in multilateral fora, especially in addressing global crises like climate change, pandemic response and recovery, sustainable energy access, and food insecurity. They aim to support democratic institutions and civil societies in Africa to enhance accountability and the delivery of basic services.  They reaffirm their joint support for the African-led Great Green Wall initiative to address the climate and biodiversity crisis, contributing to sustainable development, peace, and security in the Sahara and Sahel regions. Fighting disinformation and terrorism remain joint priorities of France and the United States on the continent. France and the United States intend to continue to work closely with the African Union and African regional organizations to address the continent’s challenges and seize opportunities to increase trade and investment. Middle East France and the United States are determined to work closely in support of peace and prosperity in the Middle East. The Presidents welcome the launch of the Negev Forum and the second anniversary of the signing of the Abraham Accords, along with the historic breakthrough of the October 2022 Israel-Lebanon maritime boundary agreement. They are determined to sustain joint efforts to urge Lebanon’s leaders to elect a president and advance critical reforms. They remain committed to maintain the means and capabilities necessary for the counterterrorism mission in Iraq and Syria as members of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. France and the United States continue to work to improve the grave humanitarian situation faced by the Syrian people as well as to promote a long-lasting, just solution to the Syrian conflict. They will continue engaging with partners in the Middle-East and follow up on the August 2021 Baghdad Conference.   The Presidents also express their respect for the Iranian people, in particular women and youth, who are bravely protesting to gain the freedom to exercise their human rights and fundamental freedoms, which Iran itself has subscribed to and is violating.   They remain determined to ensure that Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon. France and the United States continue to work with other international partners to address Iran’s nuclear escalation, its insufficient cooperation with the IAEA, including on serious and outstanding issues relating to Iran’s legal obligations under its Non-Proliferation Treaty Safeguards Agreement, and its destabilizing activities in the Middle East, most urgently its transfers of missiles and drones, including to non-state actors. These transfers can threaten key Gulf partners and stability and security in the region, contravene international law, and now contribute to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. France and the United States will work with partners to enhance cooperation regarding enforcement of relevant UN Security Council resolutions and countering these activities. They will undertake joint efforts aimed at further strengthening the international framework constraining the proliferation of Iranian missile and unmanned aerial vehicle technologies in the region and beyond and in enhancing practical efforts to counter this proliferation. Nuclear Deterrence, Nonproliferation, and Disarmament The United States and France reaffirm that nuclear deterrence remains essential for their national security and a core component of NATO’s overall capabilities for deterrence and defense. They reaffirm that the fundamental purpose of NATO’s nuclear capability is to preserve peace, prevent coercion, and deter aggression against the Alliance. They reaffirm the importance of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and their opposition to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which does not reflect the increasingly challenging international security environment and is at odds with the existing non-proliferation and disarmament architecture. The United States and France also reaffirm support for their Mutual Defense Agreement and intend to expand their technical cooperation on a wide range of strategic risk reduction topics. Economy, Emerging Technologies, Trade, and Supply Chains The bilateral investment and trade relationship between our nations is longstanding and deep, creating significant jobs and prosperity for both. The United States and France reaffirm their commitment to an open and rules-based multilateral trading system, with a modernized WTO at its core. In that spirit, they continue to promote bilateral trade and investments that support supply chain resilience and our high-tech and innovative industries, including aerospace, information technology, pharmaceuticals, and finance. With a view to further enhancing their bilateral trade and investment relationship, they intend to hold discussions on reciprocal facilitation of visa issuance and renewal, and authorizations of stay.   The United States and France are committed to developing diverse and robust supply chains for critical minerals, including through their collaboration in the Mineral Security Partnership and the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment. They reaffirm their shared goal of accelerating the global green energy transition. They look forward to the work of the U.S.-EU Taskforce on the Inflation Reduction Act to further strengthen the U.S.-EU partnership on clean energy and climate through mutually beneficial ways.   Space The Presidents are committed to strengthening the U.S.-France alliance across all sectors of space cooperation. They highlight their engagement in continuing the longstanding bilateral cooperation in Earth observation for monitoring and assessing climate change and adapting to its consequences. In that spirit, they plan to working jointly on future Earth science missions. They welcome France’s commitment not to conduct destructive, direct-ascent anti-satellite missile testing and will work towards universal adherence to this pledge.  The United States and France are determined to deepen collaboration on defense space activities, including military planning, information sharing, and operational coordination. They welcome the June 2022 signings of the Artemis Accords by France and of the Space for Climate Observatory Charter by the United States, as well as the first meeting of the U.S.-France Comprehensive Dialogue on Space in Paris in November 2022. Energy The Presidents welcome the successful first year of the U.S.-France Bilateral Clean Energy Partnership, which convened most recently in October 2022, as the high-level platform to advance our energy and climate cooperation. In reaffirming their joint determination to further synchronize and deepen cooperation on civil nuclear energy, the United States and France plan to set up a nuclear energy small group within the Partnership’s framework. The Partnership’s priorities also include deepening civilian nuclear cooperation and contributing to a reliable nuclear supply chain, in accordance with the highest standards of nuclear nonproliferation, including the application of IAEA Additional Protocol, and by further reducing reliance on civil nuclear and related goods from Russia. The Partnership will promote advanced nuclear power globally, which has a key role to play in order to reduce global CO2 emissions, while continuing efforts to limit the spread of sensitive enrichment and reprocessing technology.   The United States and France continue to promote energy policies, technology, and innovation that enhance renewable energy production and accelerated deployment. They intend to continue to support the diversification of Europe’s natural gas supply, including through U.S. liquified natural gas exports, as well as to cooperate in reducing overall demand for natural gas in alignment with climate objectives. The Presidents welcome the progress made through the U.S.-EU Task Force on Energy Security to diversify the EU’s natural gas supplies, reducing its cost and limiting its dependence on natural gas. Climate and Biodiversity  The Presidents express their deep concern regarding the growing impact of climate change and nature loss and intend to continue to galvanize domestic and global action to address it. France and the United States plan to continue pursuing their efforts to support the phase out of coal as soon as possible, both domestically and in emerging economies. They plan to increase their support towards those countries that host the most critical reserves of irrecoverable carbon and important biodiversity. France and the United States will also work together to protect rainforests and to tackle deforestation and illegal forest clearances, including through the One Forest Summit that will be held early 2023 in Libreville. They will work together to ensure better ocean protection in view of the next UN Ocean Conference that will be held in France in 2025 and are fully mobilized at the highest level for the conclusion of the UN Treaty on the protection of the High Sea in 2023.  Strengthening the International Financial Architecture France and the United States intend to work jointly to strengthen the international financial architecture to support the most vulnerable countries in a context of multiple shocks, from the COVID-19 pandemic to the repercussions of Russia’s war against Ukraine and the accelerating effects of climate change. The United States and France will also cooperate closely to reduce the financing gap in emerging and developing economies in order to foster sustainable pathways towards net zero. This includes working together to ensure that multilateral systems are delivering timely debt relief from all key creditors to countries in distress.  As two major shareholders, France and the United States reaffirm their determination to drive an evolution of the multilateral development banks, starting with the World Bank, to better address global challenges and support private investment in emerging and developing markets. France and the United States reiterate their commitment to help meet the global ambition of $100 billion U.S. dollars in voluntary contributions as soon as possible for countries most in need, including through the channeling of special drawing rights.  The Presidents affirm their willingness to cooperate to raise the level of ambition on these issues, including at the summit to be held in Paris in June 2023.   Global Health and Food Security It is fitting that this State Visit coincides with World AIDS Day, given our nations’ leadership in turning the tide of the AIDS pandemic and as the most recent hosts of the replenishments for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Learning from the COVID-19 pandemic, France and the United States plan to intensify their cooperation on global health security and pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response, including by supporting the newly established Pandemic Fund, bolstering national health systems, training health workers, and strengthening multilateral institutions including the World Health Organization.  The United States and France intend to continue working together to respond to regional and global food security challenges. They also intend to promote and safeguard an open and transparent agricultural market, to invest in resilient food systems, and to refrain from imposing any unnecessary trade obstacles. Democracy and Human Rights The Presidents recognize that strengthening democratic values and respect for universal human rights is essential to meeting the unprecedented challenges of our time. They reinforce the commitments they each made at the first Summit for Democracy to support free and independent media, tackle the proliferation of surveillance technologies and disinformation, bolster democratic reformers, and advance technology for democracy. The United States and France intend to strengthen and expand the Freedom Online Coalition, advance the commitments made in the Christchurch Call to Action to counter the dissemination of terrorist and violent extremist content online to better protect human rights both on- and off-line, and plan to promote the principles outlined in the Declaration for the Future of the Internet. Cyber and Disinformation The Presidents renew their determination to work alongside partners and stakeholders to advance cybersecurity and to uphold international law and established, non-binding global peacetime norms in cyberspace, including through the Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace and through an ambitious United Nations Program of Action. The United States and France plan to hold their fifth U.S.-France Cyber Dialogue in early 2023. They also intend to strengthen bilateral coordination in combating foreign manipulation of information online. They reaffirm their support for independent media at the international level, including through the International Fund for Public Interest Media (IFPIM) to be hosted in Paris. The United States and France underscore the importance of last month’s Counter Ransomware Initiative Summit where they and 35 other participants reaffirmed their cooperation to disrupt ransomware globally. Recognizing the growing use of commercial space capabilities to support critical functions and the increasing cybersecurity threats to those capabilities, France and the United States intend to work together to strengthen the cybersecurity of these space systems. Education and Science Partnerships The United States and France are committed to deepening their educational cooperation with the shared objective of fostering greater equity and access to excellence in education. Because the power of language and international mobility can lead to meaningful partnerships, they intend to undertake new initiatives to foster language learning, such as facilitating French and English language teaching assistant exchanges between their respective countries. They welcome and support the French for All initiative, which promotes greater and more equitable access to French language education and the benefits of bilingualism for young learners across the United States.   The United States and France aim for a robust network of educational partnerships and exchange programs to reach the next generation of transatlantic leaders who will shape Franco-American relations for decades to come. This includes strengthening the flagship U.S.-French Fulbright Program, which will celebrate the 75th anniversary in 2023. They also intend to develop new ways for young French and Americans to learn about each other’s culture and history, including through Villa Albertine’s residency program for French and Francophone creators across the United States as well as for American creators across France.  Likewise, they are creating the “250 for 250” program, which celebrates France’s role in the founding of the United States, and the enduring friendship between their two nations, by sending 250 French students to study or intern in the United States and 250 American students to study or intern in France.    Through technical and scientific exchange, the United States and France intend to deepen their collaboration on shared priorities such as health, the environment, and emerging technologies, including biotechnology, quantum science, and artificial intelligence.  Joseph R. Biden, Jr.                                                                       Emmanuel Macron

December 1, 2022

Stay Connected

We'll be in touch with the latest information on how President Biden and his administration are working for the American people, as well as ways you can get involved and help our country build back better.

Opt in to send and receive text messages from President Biden.

What to Know About Biden’s Trip to France

The international trek offers the president a chance to commemorate D-Day and to contrast with his predecessor.

What to Know: Biden’s Trip to France

Evan Vucci | AP

President Joe Biden is welcomed by French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, left, after arriving at Orly Airport south of Paris on Wednesday, June 5.

Key Takeaways

• The trip marks Biden’s first state visit to France.
• The president will deliver remarks commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
• Along with French President Emmanuel Macron, Biden is also expected to talk with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

President Joe Biden arrived in France on Wednesday for a visit during which he will commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, when Allied forces landed in Normandy and paved the way for the liberation of Europe in World War II. The trip also marks Biden’s first state visit to France.

The historic D-Day operation included nearly 160,000 troops from Britain , the U.S. , Canada and other nations, and helped lead to the defeat of Nazi Germany. On Thursday, Biden is expected to deliver remarks at a ceremony in Normandy commemorating the event, and to participate in a wreath-laying. At least 25 heads of state are expected to be in France to mark the occasion.

Did You Know?

The anniversary provides the perfect opportunity for Biden to weave together symbolism with policy and politics. Along with falling in the midst of his reelection campaign – and offering him opportunities to contrast with his opponent, former President Donald Trump – the visit to America's oldest ally comes as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is in its second year, the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East continues to escalate and China looms large over Taiwan, threatening its independence.

World War II “showed the world the value of strong alliances and partnerships, which is a lesson that continues to resonate strongly today, both in Europe and, quite frankly, well beyond Europe,” John Kirby, White House national security communications advisor, told reporters earlier this week during a preview of Biden’s trip.

“President Biden has made revitalizing our relationships a key priority, recognizing that we are stronger when we act together and that today’s challenges require global perspectives, global approaches, global responses, and multilateral effort and cooperation,” Kirby said. “France is our oldest ally, and this visit will underscore continued U.S.-French leadership on a range of consequential global issues.”

The Best Political Cartoons on Joe Biden

Biden, who will be in France for five days, is also scheduled to deliver remarks Friday at Pointe Du Hoc – where American soldiers on D-Day scaled cliffs to seize German artillery. He’s expected to focus on the importance of fighting for democracy.

“You can point to real lives that were impacted at Pointe du Hoc,” Kirby said. “You can point to real blood that was spilt in pursuit of that loftier goal. And you can tell stories about real men who climbed real cliffs and faced real bullets and real danger in the pursuit of something a whole hell of a lot bigger than themselves.”

Following the anniversary commemorations, French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, will host Biden and First Lady Jill Biden for the state visit. During a bilateral meeting between Biden and Macron, the two presidents will discuss continuing to support Ukraine, the war in Gaza and efforts to combat climate change, Kirby said.

Macron is reportedly weighing sending French military trainers to Ukraine – a potential move that’s sparked concern among some allies as it could lead to increased tensions with Russia. Notably, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be in France this week as well, and is expected to meet with both Macron and Biden.

Biden follows a long line of U.S. presidents who have visited France to commemorate D-Day. His trip comes 40 years after former President Ronald Reagan’s famous speech at Pointe du Hoc, where he stressed the importance of allies.

"We in America have learned bitter lessons from two World Wars: It is better to be here ready to protect the peace, than to take blind shelter across the sea, rushing to respond only after freedom is lost. We’ve learned that isolationism never was and never will be an acceptable response to tyrannical governments with an expansionist intent," Reagan said during remarks on the 40th anniversary of D-Day.

The Best Countries, Based on Americans

Christopher Wolf Sept. 7, 2023

In the background of Biden’s trip, of course, is the 2024 presidential election – the outcome of which could impact the relationship between the U.S., France and other NATO allies. Trump, for example, has repeatedly called out NATO members for not devoting enough money to defense, and has threatened not to come to the aid of those who don’t meet the alliance’s defense spending target – something he’s also sought to frame as a negotiating tactic.

While in France, Biden also plans to speak with U.S. and international veterans who served in World War II, and to visit a cemetery honoring fallen American soldiers during World War I. During a Trump trip to France in 2018, the former president did not visit the WWI Aisne-Marne American Cemetery due to what the White House at the time said was poor weather. Later reporting from The Atlantic said Trump criticized the dead buried there as “losers,” which Trump denied.

Join the Conversation

Tags: Joe Biden , France

America 2024

U.S. News Decision Points

Your trusted source for the latest news delivered weekdays from the team at U.S. News and World Report.

Sign in to manage your newsletters »

Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy .

You May Also Like

The 10 worst presidents.

U.S. News Staff Feb. 23, 2024

The Best Cartoons on Donald Trump

Aug. 29, 2024, at 4:08 p.m.

Joe Biden Behind The Scenes

Aug. 20, 2024

3 Takeaways: Harris-Walz Interview

Cecelia Smith-Schoenwalder Aug. 29, 2024

Trump, Harris Dangle Tax Cuts on Trail

Tim Smart Aug. 29, 2024

Debate Offers Trump Hurdles, Openings

What Trump, Harris Supporters Agree On

Alan Kronenberg Aug. 29, 2024

Harris on CNN: What to Know

Laura Mannweiler Aug. 29, 2024

Searches, Purge Spark Fear in Texas

Aneeta Mathur-Ashton Aug. 28, 2024

Trump’s Legal Woes, Explained

U.S. News Staff Aug. 28, 2024

We’re sorry, this site is currently experiencing technical difficulties. Please try again in a few moments. Exception: request blocked

France’s Macron defends giving citizenship to Telegram CEO Pavel Durov

French leader denies inviting tech founder to France or having prior knowledge of his visit.

French President Emmanuel Macron has defended a decision to grant fast-track citizenship to indicted Telegram CEO Pavel Durov.

Speaking at a news conference during a visit to Serbia, Macron said that granting nationality to high-profile figures who learn French and contribute to the nation is “good for our country”.

Keep reading

In venezuela’s diaspora, protests erupt against maduro’s contested election, serbia and france sign $3bn deal for sale of french fighter jets, what is behind recurrent sexual violence in india, brazil judge blocks starlink accounts as x suspension deadline looms.

“It’s part of a strategy to allow women and men, whether artists, athletes or entrepreneurs, when they make the effort to learn the French language and that they develop wealth, innovation … to be given French nationality,” Macron said.

Macron said he had no prior knowledge that Durov was travelling to France before his arrest on Saturday, after the Le Canard Enchaine newspaper reported that Durov told police that he was planning to meet the French leader.

“I was absolutely not aware of Mr Durov’s arrival in France,’’ Macron said, describing Durov’s arrest as “an independent act of French justice”.

“It is false that I offered any kind of invitation to him.’’

“We are a country where there is a separation of powers,” Macron added.

French prosecutors have accused Durov of “complicity” in criminal activity on the messaging app Telegram, including drug trafficking and the distribution of child sex abuse material.

They also accuse the Russian-born billionaire of refusing to share documents sought in investigations by law enforcement.

Durov’s lawyer David-Olivier Kaminski has described it as “totally absurd” to implicate the owner of a social network in crimes that “don’t concern him, directly or indirectly”.

Durov’s arrest has reignited long-simmering debates about freedom of speech, privacy and policing harm in the online world.

Prominent tech founders and internet freedom advocates, including X owner Elon Musk, whistleblower Edward Snowden and ProtonMail founder Andy Yen, have condemned French authorities over the case, casting it as a threat to freedom of expression.

Russia has also voiced concern, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warning French authorities not to turn the case into a “political persecution”.

Veterans slam Trump incident at Arlington National Cemetery | The Excerpt

On Thursday’s episode of The Excerpt podcast: USA TODAY Trump Campaign Reporter Zac Anderson explains what happened with former President Donald Trump at  Arlington National Cemetery  this week. Telegram's CEO  has been charged in France. The Supreme Court rejects the Biden administration’s request to allow a  student debt relief plan  to remain in effect while its legality is challenged by Republican-led states. Two foreigners have been  charged with 'swatting'  U.S. officials. Here's what to know about  sloth fever . An estimated 2.9 billion records, including Social Security numbers, may be affected after a  National Public Data breach .

Hit play on the player below to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript beneath it.  This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. There may be some differences between the audio and the text.

Podcasts:  True crime, in-depth interviews and more USA TODAY podcasts right here

Taylor Wilson:

Good morning. I'm Taylor Wilson, and today is Thursday, August 29th, 2024. This is The Excerpt.

Today, what happened with Donald Trump at Arlington National Cemetery. Plus, the CEO of Telegram has been arrested and charged in France. And, the Supreme Court rejects the Biden Administration's request to allow a student debt relief plan to remain in effects.

We're learning more about an incident at Arlington National Cemetery this week involving Donald Trump, after the former president's team turned his graveside visit into a video slamming the Biden-Harris administration. The visit has angered veterans. Former Army Undersecretary and former Pennsylvania Representative Patrick Murphy said the Trump campaign's insistence on using the setting to shoot campaign material is a new low. And Fred Wellman, a 22-year Army combat veteran, said that Trump "has no right to use our most hallowed ground for his political aims." So exactly happened here? I spoke with USA TODAY Trump campaign reporter Zac Anderson for more.

Zac, thanks for helping out.

Zac Anderson:

Glad to be here.

So Zac, what happened this week with Donald Trump at Arlington National Cemetery?

So it's a pretty unusual incident. There was a report of an altercation between the Trump campaign staff and an official at the cemetery. They filed a report with a local police agency. Apparently, according to the statement from the cemetery, they confirmed that there was an incident and they cited a law that said that a campaign cannot film in certain parts of the cemetery in area known as Section 60 where newly buried graves of American servicemen are. So the cemetery, it sounds like somebody at the cemetery tried to stop the Trump campaign from filming there, and there was an altercation, although the Trump campaign is denying that there was a physical altercation in the way that was described by somebody to NPR.

Why was Trump at the cemetery in the first place, Zac?

So he was there for a wreath lane ceremony to honor 13 American service members who were killed in a well publicized event in Afghanistan. During the troop withdrawal, there was an attack on service members at Abbey Gate near the airport in Kabul. And so he was there for that event and this is when that happened.

You touched on this a bit, but have we heard from either the cemetery officials or Trump campaign officials following this incident?

So the cemetery just put out a statement confirming that there was an incident and that a report had been filed. I talked to a police agency who said that they got a report from the cemetery, but they refused to release it at this time, that I have to request as a public record. They basically said that at this point, no charges have been filed. The Trump campaign, they also confirmed there was some type of incident. They said that somebody tried to physically block somebody with their campaign from part of the cemetery, but they denied that it was sort of a physical assault as described by an individual to NPR.

Zac, are we hearing from veterans or, say, family members of those buried at Arlington speaking out here?

Some of the family members of those who were killed have voiced support for the Trump campaign filming there. The Trump campaign put out some statements from some of the family members who said that they were happy to have the campaign there. The statement was from five family members representing two of the 13 people who were killed. There's been some response from various veterans and veterans groups expressing concerns about what happened here. One individual even told USA TODAY that it was nauseating and that what happened was disrespectful to the people who were buried there.

Zac Anderson covers Donald Trump and Republicans for USA TODAY. Thank you, Zac.

Taylor, thanks a lot.

There continued to be reverberations. And while USA TODAY has asked Arlington if they will file an official complaint with federal agencies, we've yet to hear a response.

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has been charged and put under formal investigation in France as part of a probe into organized crime on the messaging app. A Paris prosecutor said in a statement that the judge found there were grounds to formally investigate him on all the charges he was arrested for on Saturday. Those charges include suspected complicity in running an online platform that allows illicit transactions, images of child sex abuse, drug trafficking and fraud, and the refusal to communicate information to authorities along with money laundering and giving cryptography to criminals. Durov's arrest has sparked a free speech debate. Telegram has some 1 billion users and is used for a variety of messaging more than just criminal activity. The Apple allows encrypted messages that cannot be traced or viewed by others. In the US extremist groups, particularly on the far-right, have flocked to the app as traditional social media sites ramped up their content moderation.

The Supreme Court yesterday rejected the Biden Administration's request to allow a student debt relief plan to remain in effect while its legality is challenged by Republican-led states. So what's this mean for an issue weighing on millions of Americans? I spoke with USA TODAY Supreme Court correspondent Maureen Groppe to learn more.

Maureen, thanks for hopping on.

Maureen Groppe:

Thanks for having me.

So Maureen, what did the Supreme Court decide here over Biden's student debt relief plan?

Well, the court left Biden's debt relief plan on hold as it's being challenged by Republican-led states. A lower court had agreed with those states that the plan should be paused during the litigation, and the Biden administration had asked the Supreme Court to overturn that decision and the court did not.

Yeah. So what exactly led up to this moment in the courts?

Well, this is a continuation of the legal battles that started when the administration first tried to ease student debt burdens. The Supreme Court struck down that first plan last year. So the administration came up with a new approach. The court last year said that the administration had overstepped its authority with the first plan and the challengers of the latest plan are making a similar argument.

And for folks who aren't familiar maybe with this plan, what does it really mean practically for Americans, Maureen? Can you help us understand what's at stake here?

Sure. It could lower monthly payments for millions of Americans, and it does that in part by modifying how the government calculates your income to determine how much you have to pay. It also says the interest owed can't be more than the monthly payment. And it lets those with no more than $12,000 in debt have their debt forgiven after a decade.

Going forward, what's next? Do we expect an appeals process on this?

Well, the underlying challenge to the plan continues in the lower courts. Once one of the appeals courts that have been hearing those challenges rules on the legality of the plan, then the losing side can appeal that decision to the Supreme Court. Since an appeals court has already put the plan on hold, during the litigation, that's a good indication that they are going to end up siding with the challengers on the merits of the case and then the Education Department can ask the Supreme Court to review that decision. But if there's a change in the administration after the November election, the new administration may not want to continue to defend the program.

All right. Great insight as always. Maureen Groppe covers the Supreme Court for USA TODAY. Thank you, Maureen.

Two foreigners from Romania and Serbia have been indicted for allegedly swatting more than a hundred victims, including members of Congress and cabinet level officials by reporting fake bomb threats or other emergencies including at the Capitol. That's according to the Justice Department yesterday. The case represents another example of threats against public officials. The Justice Department created a task force to fight threats against election officials, which spiked after former president Donald Trump falsely alleged the 2020 election was stolen from him. Capitol Police reported in January that threats against lawmakers rose to more than 8,000 last year from just over 5,000 in 2018.

US health officials are warning travelers about a potentially deadly insect-borne virus known as sloth fever that's infected 21 US residents returning from Cuba and thousands more in South America and the Caribbean. More than 8,000 cases of the virus have been reported through August 1st in a number of countries, including Cuba, Brazil, and Colombia. Most infections are mild, but two otherwise healthy women in Brazil aged 24 and 21 died after contracting the virus officials said. The symptoms which appear three to 10 days after a person has been infected include fever, chills, headaches, and muscle and joint pain or stiffness. The virus spreads by midges and mosquito bites. You can read more with the link in today's show notes.

An estimated 2.9 billion records including names, addresses, and Social Security numbers may be affected after national public data confirmed it suffered a massive data breach involving the personal information of millions of Americans. Still, despite privacy concerns, Americans should not offer to submit their Social Security numbers to websites just because they claim they can help identify if they're a victim of a recent breach. For more on the breach and how to check if your Social Security number was part of it, check out a link in today's show notes.

Be sure to stay tuned to The Excerpt later today when I'll be joined by Patric Gagne, author of the book, Sociopath: A Memoir. We'll discuss her story and how she's had to come to terms with her own sociopathy. You could find the episode which originally aired earlier this year right here on this feed after 4:00 PM Eastern Time.

And thanks for listening to The Excerpt. You can get the pod wherever you get your audio. And if you're on a smart speaker, just ask for The Excerpt. I'm Taylor Wilson and I'll be back tomorrow with more of The Excerpt from USA TODAY.

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

France’s Political Truce for the Olympics Is Over. Now What?

Lucie Castets, a relatively obscure bureaucrat, is the left’s choice to be prime minister. Just one person stands in her way: the president.

By Catherine Porter

Reporting from Paris

The first thing Lucie Castets intends to do as France’s next prime minister is to peel back the age of retirement to 62. Then, she will pour more money into the creaking health care and education systems. To pay for at least some of that, she will introduce a tax on the country’s ultrarich.

There is just one hitch. Ms. Castets, the candidate of choice of the left-wing coalition that won the most seats in France’s snap legislative elections that ended in July, has not been tapped for the job. And the one person with the power to offer it to her, President Emmanuel Macron, has shown no sign he plans to do so.

“We are in a somewhat Kafkaesque, surreal situation, where a candidate for the post of prime minister is campaigning for a job that she cannot exercise,” Rémi Lefebvre, a professor of political science at the University of Lille, said.

Almost seven weeks since those elections ended in deadlock, with neither left, right nor center winning a majority, France remains intractably stuck .

Since then, Mr. Macron has been in no hurry to pick a new prime minister, whose job it is to run the country while the president officially oversees France’s institutions. He called for a political truce during the Olympics, which continued into the dog days of August, when the capital empties and anyone who can posts an “I’m on vacation” sign on the door and disappears.

On Friday, Mr. Macron began hosting a series of meetings with political leaders to help inform his choice. In the past, choosing was easier: He simply picked candidates from his own winning coalition and expected them to collaborate with him.

But since his coalition took a drubbing in the election and lost more than 80 seats in Parliament, that’s no longer a clear choice. Tradition would hold that he offer the choice to the winning party — but in the past, that party always had a majority, unlike now.

The president’s plan, his advisers have said, is to pick the person who could shore up the most political support and therefore run a stable government. His read of the election result, he told citizens in an open letter last month , was that voters were demanding a new, conciliatory style of politics with “power sharing” — something unknown to recent French political culture and that Mr. Macron himself pledged to introduce in 2022 but didn’t.

“In France, we are used to having either all the power or none,” a left-wing politician, Raphaël Glucksmann, explained to Le Point magazine .

That sensibility has left nearly everyone talking about compromise but offering little of it. The leaders of the four left-wing parties that banded together to form a coalition called the New Popular Front say someone from their group should be given the job, since they won the most seats in the election. But many of the actions the coalition has vowed to champion run counter to Mr. Macron’s philosophy of making France more business-friendly, including trying to overturn what he considers the hard-fought success of raising the retirement age.

After arguing for two weeks over whom they would put forward, they settled on Ms. Castets — plucking her from the relative political obscurity of her office at Paris City Hall, where until then she had run the financial department.

The request, which came over the phone while Ms. Castets was biking, shocked even her. She has never run for, let alone held, public office. And while she is a vocal supporter of left-wing causes — particularly in support of France’s vaunted public service — she left the Socialist Party years ago. Since then, she has not been a member of any party.

“They know people want some fresh air,” said Ms. Castets, 37, during an interview this week, squeezed in between meetings. “They want people who were not involved in the parties — they want something else.”

She added, “I don’t want to be president in 2027. I’m not a threat to them.”

Still, this lifelong civil servant has been doing something political analysts say they’ve never seen before: campaigning for the job of prime minister.

She has been introducing herself to fellow citizens, in person and through the media, as a lesbian married mother of a 2-year-old, a graduate of the country’s top college for civil servants who loves to be physically active. She has been fielding interviews. She has sent letters to parliamentarians, co-signed by leaders of the parties, laying out her potential government’s plans.

Over the weeks, she has softened her position from its original hard-core stance that her government would follow through on the entire left-wing coalition program. Now, she says she would pursue something more reflective of minority government position.

Her government would focus on goals she believes she could find wider agreement on, she says, among them increasing the minimum wage, making the economy more environmentally sound and investing in public services.

“Who will accept the continued catastrophic situation in public hospitals with emergency services closed in the middle of summer?” she said in an open letter this week to fellow citizens, co-signed by political backers who all vowed to invent a new way of governing. “Who will settle for a new school year where there will be a shortage of teachers facing our children in elementary, middle and high schools?”

Still, she is facing an uphill battle, and not only because she is unknown and politically inexperienced. The biggest party in her coalition, France Unbowed , has a history of scorched-earth politics that makes the pledge for conciliation feel thin.

On Thursday, Aurore Bergé, a departing minister and leading member of Macron’s party, Renaissance, repeated on the radio that she would vote immediately to bring down any government with far-left France Unbowed members in it. She and many others consider France Unbowed and its combative leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, a former Trotskyist, to be as dangerous to France’s democracy as the extreme right.

Ms. Castets is not the only one openly vying to be part of a new government. The prime minister, Gabriel Attal, and foreign minister, Stephane Séjourné, both historically key players in Renaissance and part of the current caretaker government, sent an “action pact for the French” to fellow politicians, laying out seven areas they believed offered ground for collaboration.

The leaders of the country’s moderate Conservatives, now called the Republican Right, also published an “emergency legislative pact.”

If the president does not pick someone from the left or someone from center who could corral more votes than New Popular Front, the message to citizens would be scathing, said Bruno Cautrès, a political scientist at the Center for Political Research at Sciences Po university in Paris: “that Emmanuel Macron did what he wanted and didn’t take into account the election results.”

While the constitution does not lay down rules on whom the president should name as prime minister or by when, a kind of deadline is looming. Normally, the government must introduce its budget by early October so Parliament can pass it by the end of the year.

“It would be catastrophic for Emmanuel Macron if by Jan. 1, 2025, the French Parliament was unable to adopt a budget,” Mr. Cautrès said. He noted that the state could still function without one but that France’s image would take a serious bruising in the international financial markets.

To get that all done, a government would need to be in place by the end of August or the first days of September, he said.

Mr. Macron’s team said he would announce his choice “quite soon.”

To many, the road ahead looks bleak, and whoever takes the job seems destined to fail. Right-wing lawmakers have said they will immediately bring down any left-wing government. France Unbowed lawmakers have said they will censure any prime minister who is not Ms. Castets.

“The crisis will deepen,” Mr. Lefebvre said. “I don’t see any viable institutional or political solution emerging over the coming weeks and months.”

Catherine Porter is an international reporter for The Times, covering France. She is based in Paris. More about Catherine Porter

Around the World With The Times

Our reporters across the globe take you into the field..

Lessons From a Philosopher President:  Pepe Mujica, Uruguay’s spartan former president and plain-spoken philosopher, offers wisdom from a rich life as he battles cancer .

Taiwan’s Nightmare, Onscreen:  Some think “Zero Day,” a Taiwanese television drama that fictionalizes a Chinese invasion, helps the island confront an increasingly plausible scenario . Others say the show is alarmist.

Beekeepers at the DMZ:  The heavily fortified area separating North and South Korea is a place of deep meaning for nearby farmers whose honeybees can fly freely through it .

Scotland’s Wild Boar Problem:  Residents say the animals are roaming the roads and hills around Loch Ness , tearing up lawns and terrorizing sheep.

Mennonites in the Amazon: Seeking inexpensive land far from modern life, groups of Mennonites are carving out new colonies in Peru . There are fears they are adding to the deforestation of the jungle.