US President-elect Donald Trump will reportedly be visiting the restored Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris this weekend.
Unveiling of the Cathedral
President Donald Trump has recently announced that he will be visiting the newly restored Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris as his first overseas trip since being elected. The chapel built between the 12th and 14th centuries is considered one of French Gothic architecture’s primary and top-notch specimens. It was destroyed in a fire, five years ago on 15 April 2019. The cathedral is set to open its doors to catholic devotees and visitors on the upcoming Saturday and Sunday (7 and 8 December 2024, respectively).
With his announcement of the visit, the US President credited French President Emmanuel Macron for supporting the restoration of the cathedral to “her full splendour.”
Leaders across the globe are expected to be attending the unveiling ceremony and celebrations of the Cathedral, which President Macron equated to the healing of a “National wound.”
Image Credits: Detroit Catholic
Past Tensions and Resolves
President Trump, during his first term in office, weighed in on the Notre Dame fire tragedy on live broadcast, suggesting the deployment of “flying water tanks” to put out the flames.
The French authorities disregarded the suggestion responding that using water-bombing aircraft would damage and collapse the structure of the cathedral further.
The two Presidents have had a complicated relationship.
Though President Macron was one of the first leaders to congratulate Trump on the reelection and was the guest of honour at the former President’s first state dinner, the two leaders have clashed over Trump’s pessimism about NATO and France’s decision to increase tax on US Tech giants.
The geopolitical relationship faced its first blows when France demanded a European Union Army, saying that France deemed it necessary to protect itself “concerning China, Russia, and even the United States.
President Trump responded to this demand in 5 tweets, hinting at France’s situation during the World Wars and the USA’s involvement during the time. He also touched upon the French President’s low approval rate, which was 29% at the time (2018).
Restoration Budget
Notre Dame’s restoration was made possible with 846 Million Euros in donations from over 340,000 donors from approximately 150 countries.
The five-year effort employed around 250 companies, and hundreds of experts and utilised 700 Million Euros.
According to the Restoration Chief Philippe Jost, the surplus donation of about 147 Million Euros will be used for future preservation and maintenance projects.
