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 MEETS WITH MACRON, ZELENSKYY AHEAD OF NOTRE DAME REOPENING CEREMONY IN PARIS
First Lady Jill Biden (CL) speaks with President-elect Donald Trump during a ceremony to mark the re-opening of the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral in central Paris on December 7, 2024. (Thibault Camus)
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.
President Emmanuel Macron’s wife Brigitte Macron (CL) talks with President-elect Donald Trump (CR) as they sit alongside daughter of President Joe Biden, Ashley Biden (L), First Lady of the United States Jill Biden (2L) and French President Emmanuel Macron (R) inside Notre Dame Cathedral ahead of a ceremony to mark the re-opening of the landmark cathedral, in central Paris, on December 7, 2024. (Ludovic Marin)
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.
NOTRE DAME RISES FROM THE ASHES AS A SYMBOL OF HOPE
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.
Guests stand as the doors to Notre Dame Cathedral open during a ceremony to mark the re-opening of the landmark cathedral, in central Paris, on December 7, 2024. (Ludovic Marin)
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.
