There will be two attractions during the reopening ceremony of Notre Dame de Paris this Saturday. The cathedral itself, and among the hand-picked guests, the president-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, who is enjoying this trip. RFI Washington,
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attention, Donald Trump like it. And there was probably no better way to provoke her than to participate, for her first trip abroad since her election, in a world-wide event where around forty heads of state are expected.
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Donald Trump said it, he believes that Emmanuel Macron made a “ great job » by allowing the restoration of the cathedral. Enough to flatter the French head of state who has had a long and tumultuous relationship with the American billionaire. In 2017, the American president had already been the guest of honor at the July 14 ceremonies, he emerged impressed by the military parade on the Champs-Élysées.
Trump-Zelensky meeting
Trump’s presence alone makes the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris a diplomatic event. His future counterparts should crowd around him. A bilateral meeting is planned at the Élysée with Emmanuel Macron, who will immediately receive Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. It would be surprising if the two leaders did not meet again for the first time since September at Trump Tower in New Yorkwhere the future of Ukraine was discussed. Donald Trump said he wanted to end the war. As during the rest of his campaign, he explained, without specifying how, that he would resolve the issue even before returning to the White House.
This is therefore an opportunity to show that it is starting to do so, that it keeps its promises and that it occupies a central and decisive place in international relations. The message is for both external and internal use. This visit to Notre-Dame will delight its Christian electorate and will also remind us of the role of numerous American organizations and personalities in financing the reconstruction of the cathedral.
Americans and their love of French heritage
In total, 846 million euros in donations were collected to help carry out the renovation of Notre-Dame de Paris. Nearly 340,000 donors from 150 countries donated and if the first donors are the French, the Americans come just behind. In total, American associations and foundations paid 70 million dollars, or a little more than 66 million euros.
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“ The fire had just started, and people were already calling! Some of them were in tears when they called, and others were just saying, we have to do something. We want to support. We are ready », explained Jennifer Herlein, director of the French Heritage Society, to our correspondent in New York, Carrie Nooten.
This foundation, whose mission is to safeguard French heritage, has raised two million dollars since 2019 from the Lauder family – Estée Lauder cosmetics, and $600,000 from 3,200 more modest patrons. A rapid response which was organized under the influence of emotion, because for many Americans, “ Paris is the city of lights, it’s this positive, beautiful, magical place, and there are sometimes symbolic sites like Notre-Dame, which represent all of that! », concludes Jennifer Herlein.