The US president-elect says he will visit Paris on a “very special day” to celebrate the restoration of the fire-damaged cathedral.
Donald Trump has announced that he will attend the reopening of Notre-Dame, the Paris monument destroyed by fire five years ago, on his first trip abroad since winning the US presidential election.
The 12th-century Gothic masterpiece, which was severely damaged by a fire in 2019, will reopen its doors to visitors and Catholic worshipers on Saturday and Sunday.
Dozens of world leaders are expected to attend the inauguration of the restoration, which French President Emmanuel Macron has likened to healing a “national wound.”
“I am honored to announce that I will be traveling to Paris, France, on Saturday to attend the reopening of the magnificent and historic Notre Dame Cathedral, which has been completely restored after a devastating fire five years ago,” Trump said. in a post on his Truth Social platform on Monday.
“President Emmanuel Macron has done a wonderful job ensuring that Notre Dame has been restored to its highest level of glory, and then some. It will be a very special day for everyone!”
During his first term, Trump intervened in the Notre Dame fire as live footage of the fire was broadcast around the world, suggesting that “flying water tankers” could be deployed to extinguish the flames.
“You must act quickly!” Trump said on Twitter, X's old name.
French authorities rejected the suggestion, saying the use of planes with water bombs could cause the “entire structure of the cathedral” to collapse.
Trump and Macron have had a complicated relationship.
Macron was one of the first world leaders to congratulate Trump on his re-election and was the guest of honor at the former president's first state dinner.
But the two leaders also clashed over Trump's skepticism toward NATO and France's moves to raise taxes on American tech giants.
The restoration of Notre-Dame was made possible by 846 million euros ($887.4 million) in donations provided by some 340,000 donors from 150 countries.
The five-year effort, involving some 250 companies and hundreds of experts, had an estimated cost of almost €700 million ($734.3 million).
Restoration chief Philippe Jost said at a news conference last month that surplus donations of about 140 million euros ($147 million) would be used for future preservation efforts.
