President Trump meets French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris before Bastille Day
— -- It was a grand show of pomp and circumstance today as French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed President Trump and first lady Melania Trump with a military parade at the Les Invalides in Paris.
Trump and Macron seemed all smiles as the French president greeted the American leader and they, along with their wives, toured Les Invalides, the site of Napoleon's tomb. The two leaders shared another lengthy handshake, seemingly less of a tug-of-war than their first infamous handshake at the NATO summit in May.
After his tour, Trump attended a private luncheon with members of the U.S. military and French embassy personnel, where he gave remarks thanking them for their service and paying special honor to three World War II veterans who fought on D-Day.
Trump and Macron are now holding a one-on-one meeting at the Elysee Palace, the French president's residence, the equivalent to the White House. The two are expected to discuss counterterrorism and possible solutions to the crisis in Syria.
After their meeting, they'll hold a news conference, the first for Trump since news broke of son Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting last year with a Russian attorney.
Trump and Macron will dine later tonight at the restaurant in the Eiffel Tower, Le Jules Verne.
This is the third meeting between Trump, 71, and Macron, 39. Trump has been critical of Paris, implying it's no longer a safe place to visit because of terrorism. During the French election, Trump praised Macron's opponent, far-right leader Marine Le Pen, for being tough on borders in her country.
The newly-elected Macron has been critical of Trump's decision to back out of the Paris Climate Agreement and his approach to climate change.
Trump arrived in Paris early this morning for his two-day trip before a Bastille Day celebration Friday where he will be the guest of honor.
He arrived with the first lady at Paris Orly Airport around 8:45 a.m. local time.
