Donald Trump to Attend July 14 Celebration in Paris

The French presidency announced on Wednesday, July 7, that Donald Trump, the President of the United States, will participate in the military ceremony on Bastille Day, which will be held on July 14 in Paris. This was described as a sign of both sides' willingness to expand and strengthen relations despite differences over environmental issues. According to Reuters, the White House and the French presidency stated that Donald Trump has accepted the invitation from French leaders. This year's Bastille Day ceremony will also include a tribute to the entry of American forces into World War I, which occurred a hundred years ago. The White House stated, 'The two leaders will develop relations and cooperation between the two countries in the fight against terrorism and economic relations.' It appears that Emmanuel Macron is trying to expand cooperation with the U.S. in the fight against terrorism while improving relations with Russia. However, the differences between the two leaders were evident following Trump's decision to withdraw the U.S. from the international environmental agreement. A French diplomat said, 'Beyond our disagreements on issues such as the environment, this decision reflects the strength of relations between the two sides on issues like the fight against terrorism and both sides' commitment to intervene in critical and war-torn areas.' After the U.S., France has the largest force in the international coalition against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. On Bastille Day, thousands of personnel from the French ground, naval, and air forces will parade along the Champs-Élysées. This year, units from the U.S. armed forces will parade alongside French soldiers. On July 14, 1789, at the beginning of the French Revolution, a large crowd of Parisians attacked the Bastille prison, which held opponents of the royal regime. Trump's planned visit to Britain, despite an official invitation during Theresa May's trip to Washington in January, has not yet been confirmed. It is anticipated that widespread protests may occur if Trump travels to Britain. The same possibility exists regarding his visit to France.