President-Elect Donald Trump attended the grand reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral along with scores of other world leaders. 5 years ago the historic church was ravaged by fires, but it has been restored and reopened to the public. He was personally welcomed by French President Emanual Macron and the two leaders met before the ceremony to discuss affairs of state.
A fire severely damaged the historic Cathedral of Notre Dame on April 15th, 2019. The famed spire of the church and its roof were almost destroyed. Due to a rapid response from hundreds of first responders, the rest of the ancient structure, including the two bell towers, was saved. The tragic damage to the 861-year-old building sparked a massive international effort to restore the Cathedral.
340,000 people from across the world donated €900 million to rebuild the church. In addition to the financial support, over the five years required to rebuild the historic building, nearly 2,000 people, including architects, artists, blacksmiths, carpenters, roofers, sculptors, and stone mason devoted their time to the effort. President Macron described the project as the “construction project of the century.”
Trump took to his Truth Social account to announce his presence. “It is an honor to announce that I will be traveling to Paris, France, on Saturday to attend the re-opening of the Magnificent and Historic Notre Dame Cathedral, which has been fully restored after a devastating fire five years ago.” He also had praise for his French counterpart; “President Emmanuel Macron has done a wonderful job ensuring that Notre Dame has been restored to its full level of glory, and even more so. It will be a very special day for all!”
Before the ceremony, President Trump met with President Macron at the Élysée Palace. This is Trump’s first international visit since winning the 2024 presidential election. According to all sources, Trump was treated very well. A local paper wrote that he was “received in the presidential palace by the Republican Guard with great pomp.”
Embattled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was also in attendance. This marks the first meeting between the two leaders. Zelensky said that the talks he had with Macron and Trump were “good and productive.” He stated that everyone involved wanted the same thing. “[We] want this war to end as soon as possible and in a just way. We spoke about our people, the situation on the ground, and a just peace.”
Trump will also continue meeting with other heads of state while in Paris. According to the BBC, Trump has also met with the heir to the British Throne Prince William. The two men discussed the “special relationship” between the US and the UK. The two men have not met since 2019 during Trump’s last presidential term. After shaking hands, Trump remarked: “Good man, this one.“
President Donald J. Trump arrives for a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron
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The ceremony itself was led by Archbishop of Paris Laurent Ulrich. He began by symbolically opening Notre Dame’s ornately decorated wooden doors, which were miraculously spared by the flames. “Notre Dame, model of faith, open your doors to bring together the far-flung children of God in joy” the Arch Bishop delivered as he reopened the cathedral.