President-elect Trump attended the reopening ceremony of the Notre Dame Cathedral alongside First Lady Jill Biden and several other prominent world leaders.
Notre Dame was reopened on Saturday, five years after a fire caused serious damage to the landmark Gothic cathedral.
Trump was seated between French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, during the ceremony, which was also attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prince William.
Also in the same row as Trump was First Lady Jill Biden, who attended the event with her daughter, Ashley. President Joe Biden was not present.
Trump and the first lady greeted one another ahead of the ceremony.
Tesla CEO and close Trump ally Elon Musk also attended the ceremony.
The president-elect met privately with Macron and Zelenskyy ahead of the ceremony and was expected to meet with Prince William following the event.
The $740 million restoration project was funded by donations from 150 countries and involved the application of carpentry methods dating back to the 13th century.
Sources familiar with the president-elect's plans told Fox News that Trump's attendance was at the invitation of Macron, who was the first foreign leader to congratulate Trump after his election win over Vice President Kamala Harris in November, CNN reported.
About 50 heads of state were expected to be in attendance, Paris Police Chief Laurent Nuñez said in an interview published by French media outlet Le Parisien, but he did not specify who or from which countries.
Social media users erupted over President-elect Trump's "dominating" handshake with French President Emmanuel Macron at their meeting in Paris Saturday.
Trump traveled to France to attend the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, his first international trip since winning the 2024 presidential election. Ahead of the event, Trump met Macron, and the two shook hands in a gesture that quickly went viral online.
"President Trump is back to dominating world leaders with his handshake," one user, George, wrote in a post on X. "Macron is going to need a hand massage after all that twisting and pulling Trump did to him."
"President Trump manhandles French President Emmanuel Macron with one of the most dominating handshakes I’ve ever seen," said commentator Drew Hernandez. "We are so back."
Colin Rugg wrote, "7 years later and the handshake battle continues between Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron."
During a meeting in 2017, during Trump's first term in office, the two world leaders had a 29-second handshake and appeared to be tugging back and forth as they walked with their wives.
"The Trump-Macron handshake is hilarious," author John Lefevre said in a post on X. "Because it happened twice. And you know Macron was told to prepare and probably practiced and then still got dominated."
Trump's handshakes with world leaders have gone viral over the years, including when he pulled in Russian President Putin's arm during a handshake at the G-20 Summit in 2019.
Trump attended the reopening ceremony alongside political figures, including first lady Jill Biden and Prince William.
President-elect Trump met with world leaders ahead of the reopening ceremony of the Notre Dame Cathedral as he steps back onto the global stage following his election victory.
Trump traveled to France on Saturday to attend the reopening of Notre Dame, the famous cathedral that suffered serious damage during a fire five years ago. The trip marks Trump's first international trip since he was elected to a second, non-consecutive term in office.
Trump's diplomacy was on full display during the trip as he met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Presidential Palace in Paris. The pair was later joined by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
"It's a great honor for French people to welcome you five years later," Macron said of Trump. "And you were, at that time, president for the first time. And I remember the solidarity and your immediate action. So, welcome back again. We are very happy to have you here."
Trump is expected to meet with Prince William, who is attending the event in place of his father, King Charles III, after the ceremony, according to Kensington Palace.
President Biden is not expected to attend the event, however, First Lady Jill Biden will be present.
William was scheduled to meet with the First Lady at the UK residence in Paris, but due to weather, the meeting was canceled, and the two will meet at the ceremony.
President-elect Trump is in Europe this weekend for his first overseas trip since his convincing victory in last month's presidential election.
Trump will meet with Emmanuel Macron after the French president invited him to attend Saturday's star-studded VIP event for the official reopening of the newly restored Notre Dame Cathedral, five years after a devastating fire wrecked the centuries-old Paris landmark.
First Lady Jill Biden will also attend the ceremonies, but it's Trump who will be holding court with world leaders.
The president-elect's appearance will serve as Trump's unofficial return to the global stage, and it is another reminder that he is quickly becoming the center of the world's attention.
"This is without question a major moment in French history and the fact that Macron wanted to share it with Trump speaks to the significance of what Trump is achieving even before he gets to the Oval Office again, said Brett Bruen, a public affairs and strategic communications veteran, and former U.S. diplomat who served under both Democratic and Republican administrations.
"He is being feted quite literally in Paris with all the glitz and glamour," Bruen, president of the Global Situation Room, added.
And Bruen and other analysts give credit to Macron for inviting Trump to this weekend's festivities.
"This is a really smart move by Macron to get things rolling in the right direction when it comes to U.S.-French relations under Trump," he said. "But let's also not forget the fact that Macron is both badly weakened in his own country and on the European continent…[Macron] may see in Trump an opportunity to restore his lost luster as the European leader who can most effectively engage with the new American president."
Trump has taken a slew of calls in the weeks since the November election from international leaders congratulating him on his White House victory.
The trip to Paris comes a week after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hastily made an unannounced stop in Mar-a-Lago to dine with Trump after the president-elect threatened a trade war with Canada and Mexico.
Trump argued that Canada had failed to prevent large amounts of drugs and undocumented people from crossing the northern border into the U.S. and also pointed to America's massive trade deficit with Canada.
According to reporting from Fox News' Bret Baier, Trump suggested to Trudeau that Canada could become the 51st state.
Trump has also weighed in recently on a number of international conflicts. In the volatile Middle East, the president-elect warned this week in a social media post that there would be "ALL HELL TO PAY" if Hamas does not release all the hostages held in Gaza before he is inaugurated on Jan. 20.
News of Trump's invitation to Paris came earlier this week as President Biden was on a history-making trip to Angola, as he became the first American president to visit the sub-Saharan African nation.
But Biden, likely on his last overseas trip before Trump takes over in the White House next month, is already being overshadowed on the world stage by his predecessor and successor.
"While President-elect [Trump] is still weeks away from taking the oath of office, loyalties and the attention of world leaders has shifted to the incoming President and from Washington to Mar-a-lago with breathtaking speed," Wayne Lesperance, a veteran political scientist and president of New England College, told Fox News.
Matt Mowers, a veteran GOP national public affairs strategist and former diplomat at the State Department during Trump's first administration, made the case that "Biden’s essentially been a lame duck" for months and that "world leaders have been shifting their gaze to the next administration.
While members of the Biden White House would likely disagree with such sentiments - especially after the current administration played a large role in hammering out the cease-fire that halted fighting in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah - it is undeniable that world leaders have already started to engage directly with the incoming president and administration.
While the spotlight traditionally shifts from the outgoing to the incoming president, Mowers argued that "it is more pronounced this time because the difference in the Biden and Trump approach to foreign policy is so different."
Mowers emphasized that Trump is already aiming "to shape world events" by "being bold, not timid, in the statements he’s putting out, and the world is already reacting to that kind of American strength."
"World leaders that want to get something done… have to engage with Trump," he added.
Matthew Bartlett, a Republican strategist who served at the State Department during Trump's first term, told Fox News that "the world is demanding leadership" and that "the Oval Office has been replaced by Mar-a-Lago."
Lesperance, pointing to Biden's swing through Africa, noted that lame duck presidents' final weeks are "usually filled with celebratory moments and efforts to cement one’s legacy. Often the focus is on their role on the world stage on behalf of America and its allies.'
However, he argued that "Biden’s pronouncements on Ukraine, Gaza and the importance of climate change go largely ignored by world leaders. Instead, they focus on Trump’s picks for his foreign policy team and pronouncements about changes in U.S. foreign policy position. It’s pretty evident that while Biden attempts a victory tour, the world has turned the page."
President-elect Trump will travel to Paris this weekend to attend the re-opening of the Notre Dame Cathedral, five years after a devastating fire damaged the 12th-century structure.
Trump announced the Dec. 7 visit on social media.
"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 wrote on Truth Social. "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!" he added.
The invite-only ceremonies on Saturday and Sunday are expected to attract about 50 heads of state and governments. Aides to Trump were in talks with French President Macron’s office regarding the visit, sources confirmed to Fox News.
Nearly $1 billion was raised to rebuild the iconic site after a catastrophic fire swept across the landmark in April 2019. Around $148 million of that sum remains.
The blaze caused the collapse of the cathedral's roof and part of its exterior while destroying the interior.
At the time of the blaze, Trump encouraged France to use "flying water tankers" to put out a raging fire.
"So horrible to watch the massive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris," he wrote. "Perhaps flying water tankers could be used to put it out. Must act quickly!"
The cathedral was visited by more than 12 million people every year before the fire, according to the Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris' site.
French President Emmanuel Macron toured the site ahead of its reopening to the public on Dec. 8, describing the experience as "overwhelming,"
An estimated 15 million annual visitors are expected to book time-allocated slots upon the reopening, according to the cathedral’s website.
President-elect Trump has nominated Charles Kushner, the father of Jared Kushner, to serve in his new administration as the U.S. ambassador to France.
"I am pleased to nominate Charles Kushner, of New Jersey, to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to France," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Saturday. "He is a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country & its interests."
In 2020, Kushner was pardoned by Trump 15 years after being found guilty of falsifying tax returns, witness tampering and illegal campaign contributions.
Kushner, the founder of Kushner Companies, served a two-year sentence for his conviction. The witness tampering charge stemmed from an incident where he paid a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law into an encounter that was recorded on video. Kushner then sent the footage to the man's wife, Kushner's sister, in order to prevent her from testifying before a grand jury.
Kushner was prosecuted by then-U.S. Attorney General Chris Christie in 2005. Christie later called the case "one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was U.S. attorney," during a 2019 PBS interview.
Trump touted Kushner's accomplishments in his statement on Saturday, calling Kushner Companies "one of the largest & most successful privately held Real Estate firms in the Nation."
"He was recognized as New Jersey Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young, appointed to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, & served as a Commissioner, & Chairman, of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, as well as on the Boards of our top institutions, including NYU," Trump said.
"His son, Jared, worked closely with me in the White House, in particular on Operation Warp Speed, Criminal Justice Reform, & the Abraham Accords," his statement concluded. "Together, we will strengthen America’s partnership with France, our oldest Ally, & one of our greatest!"
In 2018, Jared Kushner worked to get the First Step Act passed by Congress, which focused on reforming federal prisons. Kushner became passionate about the issue after witnessing how his father had been treated in prison.
"President Trump promised to fight for the forgotten men and women of this country — and that includes those in prison," Jared Kushner wrote in the Wall Street Journal at the time.
Fox News Digital's Ronn Blitzer contributed to this report.
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo joined Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s legal defense team this week, as the Jewish leader and his former defense chief Yoav Gallant face arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court (ICC) over their ongoing response to Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack.
Cuomo, a three-term Democrat who resigned in 2021 amid harassment allegations he has personally denied, also railed against antisemitism at a recent dinner with leaders of New York’s Jewish community.
Cuomo condemned what he characterized as whitewashing Hamas kidnappings and murders in Israel, telling the National Committee for Furtherance of Jewish Education he is proud to join Netanyahu’s defense.
He condemned the "denial" that too many people and "institutions" have about the scourge of antisemitism.
Cuomo said one Jewish leader, Rabbi Zvi Kogan, who had been reported as "missing" in the United Arab Emirates was not so, and instead was kidnapped and murdered by Hamas. Cuomo suggested such incorrect characterizations should be considered antisemitic.
"This is the moment that is going to be in the history books. This is a pivotal moment and this is the moment when true friends stand shoulder to shoulder and fight for the state of Israel," Cuomo said.
"I am proud to be on the legal defense team of the prime minister against the arrest warrant at the ICC – and I’m proud to stand against antisemitism."
The ICC charged Netanyahu and Gallant with crimes against humanity and war crimes, setting off a global firestorm as signatories to the court’s jurisdiction found themselves at odds with non-party allies like the U.S.
In recognizing the ICC, member nations have a sworn duty to uphold its edicts. Netanyahu’s warrant therefore presented the swath of Western nations – including the entire European Union – with a predicament that placed them counter to the U.S. and Israel.
Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts told Britain's GB News there would be "hell to pay for any international leader buying into this bulls---." That nation's leader, left-wing Prime Minister Keir Starmer, faces pressure from some members of his Labour Party who have cited an "obligation" to arrest Netanyahu, according to the outlet.
The Macron administration in France signaled Netanyahu will be treated as immune to the ICC because – while the French are signatories – Israel is not.
Separately, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot was asked if France would arrest Netanyahu, and responded that Paris is "very committed to international justice and will apply international law," according to the Jerusalem Post.
The warrants caused bipartisan outrage on Capitol Hill as Sens. John Fetterman, D-Pa., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and Reps. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., and Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., found rare agreement.
Graham told "Hannity" that he and Cotton seek to pass a law sanctioning any country aiding the ICC in arresting Netanyahu, while the other listed lawmakers all condemned the warrant.
Cuomo is also rumored to be considering a 2025 mayoral run in New York City – which is home to the largest Jewish community in the U.S.
During his remarks, he cited the 1.6 million Jews in the Big Apple and said Hamas is demonstrating in the streets with masks while Jewish people are afraid to wear yarmulkes or Stars of David in public.
"That cannot happen in the state of New York," he said, adding a relevant law he signed as governor should be properly enforced.
In 2019, Cuomo approved antisemitic-hate-crimes legislation sponsored by state Sen. Todd Kaminsky, D-Long Beach, and launched a "No Hate In Our State" campaign soon after.
A Cuomo spokesman directed Fox News Digital to video of the governor's speech and said in a statement the Democrat is proud to be part of a legal "dream team" for Netanyahu.
"As governor, Cuomo made fighting antisemitism and supporting Israel a top priority, passing landmark hate crime legislation, prioritizing security upgrades to religious institutions, creating a new hate crimes unit in the State Police and leading a state delegation to Israel when it was under attack," he said.
The ideological potpourri of the U.S., Russia, Cuba, Turkey, Vatican City and Malaysia are some of the more major nations who do not recognize the ICC.
Major U.S. allies Canada, Mexico, Australia and the United Kingdom recognize the Holland-based bench.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Netanyahu administration for comment.
