Trump to Join Notre-Dame Cathedral Reopening in Paris, 5 Years After Devastating Fire

Donald Trump has announced plans to attend the reopening of the restored Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris this weekend, marking his first international trip as the U.S. president-elect. The 850-year-old cathedral, severely damaged by a fire in 2019, will reopen to visitors and worshippers this Saturday and Sunday. The event is expected to draw numerous world leaders.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, "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, fully restored after a devastating fire five years ago." French President Emmanuel Macron, who had set an ambitious five-year timeline for the cathedral's restoration, inspected the completed work on Friday, commending the efforts of workers for achieving what he called the "impossible" and healing a "national wound."

Trump also praised Macron's leadership on Truth Social, stating that the French president had "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!" The relationship between Trump and Macron, initially described as a budding "bromance" when Trump took office in 2017, became strained as Trump’s policies often diverged from Macron's multilateral approach.

During the 2019 fire, Trump suggested using water bombers to extinguish the flames, a suggestion met with ridicule by French fire officials. The restoration of Notre Dame involved 250 companies and hundreds of experts, costing nearly 700 million euros ($750 million). The funding came from 846 million euros in donations from 150 countries, reflecting a wave of global solidarity.

Macron had invited Pope Francis to the reopening, but the Pope announced in September 2023 that he would not attend, a decision that surprised some observers.