Donald Trump will attend the reopening of Notre Dame in Paris this weekend. It will be his first overseas trip as President-elect.
The Cathedral, a symbol of Christianity since the 12th century, was gutted by a blaze in 2019 that saw its famed steeple topple to the gasps of millions watching the scene live across the French capital and broadcast around the world.
At the time of the fire, Trump tweeted that it was “so horrible to watch.
Dozens of world leaders are expected to join Trump at the unveiling of the restoration.
“It is an honor 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 fully restored after a devastating fire five years ago,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social Monday.
“President Emmanuel Macron has 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!”
Macron, who at times had a rocky relationship with the president, was the guest of honor at the former president’s first state dinner. This time he is among the first world leaders to congratulate him on his reelection.
It’s not known if Trump personally donated to Notre-Dame’s restoration. Private donations totaled $887.4 from 340,000 donors from more than 155 nations.
The gargantuan effort at rebuilding the landmark took five years and involved 250 companies. The five-year effort, involving some 250 companies and hundreds of experts, had an estimated cost $734.3 million.
Restoration chief Philippe Jost last month told a news conference that surplus donations of about 140 million euros ($147m) would be used for future preservation efforts.
–Dwight Widaman | Metro Voice