Biden will host Macron and his wife Brigette for his first state dinner – 22 months into his term and a year after France’s fury over being left out of the AUKUS submarine deal
- President Joe Biden has invited French President Emmanul Macron and his wife Brigitte to the White House for the first state dinner of his presidency
- The state visit and dinner will take place on December 1, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced at Monday’s press briefing
- ‘It will underscore the deep and enduring relationship between the United States and France, our oldest ally,’ she said
- It’s been a year since the formation of AUKUS rattled relations with France, as Australia pulled out of a French submarine deal to join forces with the US and UK
- Jean-Pierre wouldn’t say Monday if the Macrons were chosen as the first state dinner guests because the relationship needed repairing
- The dinner will come 22 months into Biden’s tenure, which Jean-Pierre said was thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic
- Former President Donald Trump waited 15 months before hosting a state dinner, also inviting the Macrons as his first guests
President Joe Biden has invited French President Emmanul Macron and his wife Brigitte to the White House on December 1 for the first state dinner of the administration.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre made the announcement Monday at the top of the briefing.
‘This will be the first state visit of the Biden-Harris administration,’ she said. ‘It will underscore the deep and enduring relationship between the United States and France, our oldest ally.’
It’s been a year since the U.S., the U.K. and Australia rattled relations with France over the formation of the tri-lateral pact AUKUS, which resulted in Australia cancelling a lucrative submarine deal with the French government.
President Joe Biden has invited French President Emmanul Macron and his wife Brigitte to the White House on December 1 for the first state dinner of the administration
French first couple Brigitte and Emmanuel Macron (left) were also the first state dinner guests of President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump (right). They visited the White House on April 24, 2018
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre made the announcement Monday at the top of the briefing that the Bidens would be hosting the Macrons for a state visit on December 1, the first of the Biden administration
Former President Donald Trump (right) hosted French President Emmanuel Macron (center right) and his wife Brigitte (left) to the White House in April 2018, for a state dinner with First Lady Melania Trump (center left)
In the lead-up to last year’s G20, Biden tried to make good with Macron, and made meeting him a priority when the gathering kicked off in Rome, Italy.
First Lady Jill Biden also took out Brigitte Macron for wine.
Jean-Pierre wouldn’t bite when asked if France was picked because the relationship needed repairing after the submarine snafu.
‘This is a valued, deeply valued relationship,’ she said.
Biden will be 22 months into his administration when he breaks bread with the Macrons.
‘COVID certainly has delayed many of the in-person events the president traditionally hosts at the White House,’ Jean-Pierre noted.
Traditionally, a president will hold a state dinner within the first year – however former President Donald Trump didn’t hold a state dinner until April 2018, also inviting the Macrons to come.
Trump hosted Australia for a second state dinner in September 2019.
The COVID pandemic also hindered Trump from hosting large-scale White House events.
Biden and Macron last saw each other last week, speaking on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, though they didn’t have an official bilateral meeting.
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