NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� President-elect Donald Trump will attend the for Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris this weekend, his first foreign trip since the election.
The cathedral is set to reopen Saturday after more than five following a that . The ceremonies being held Saturday and Sunday , with about 50 heads of state and government expected to attend.
Trump announced that he will be among them in a post on his Truth Social site Monday evening.
鈥淚t is an honor to announce that I will be traveling to Paris, France, on Saturday to attend the re-opening of the Magnificent and Historic Notre Dame Cathedral, which has been fully restored after a devastating fire five years ago,鈥� he wrote. 鈥淧resident 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!鈥�
The trip will be Trump's first abroad since he won November's presidential election. He in May 2023, as a candidate, to visit his local golf courses.
Trump was president in 2019 when engulfed Notre Dame, collapsing its spire and threatening to destroy one of the world鈥檚 greatest architectural treasures, known for its mesmerizing stained glass.
Trump watched the inferno in horror, along with the rest of the world.
鈥淪o horrible to watch the massive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris,鈥� , offering his advice to the city.
"Perhaps flying water tankers could be used to put it out. Must act quickly!鈥� he wrote.
French officials appeared to , noting that 鈥淎ll means鈥� were being used to extinguish the flames, "except for water-bombing aircrafts which, if used, could lead to the collapse of the entire structure of the cathedral.鈥�
Trump also spoke with Macron and Pope Francis at the time to offer his condolences and said 鈥渢he help of our great experts on renovation and construction.鈥�
Trump and Macron have had a complicated relationship.
During Trump's first term in office, Macron proved to be among the world leaders most adept at managing the American president's whims as he tried to develop a personal connection built in no small part on flattery.
Macron was the guest of honor at Trump's first state dinner and Trump traveled to France several times. But the relationship soured as Trump鈥檚 term progressed and Macron criticized him for questioning the need for NATO and raising doubts about America鈥檚 commitment to the mutual-defense pact.
As he ran for a second term this year, Trump often mocked Macron on the campaign trail, imitating his accent and threatening to impose steep tariffs on wine and champagne bottles shipped to the U.S. if France tried to tax American companies.
After Trump won another term last month, Macron rushed to win favor with the president-elect. He was among the first global leaders to congratulate Trump 鈥� even before The Associated Press called the race in his favor 鈥� and beat UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to the punch in delivering a congratulatory phone call.
"Congratulations, President ,鈥� Macron posted on X early on Nov 6. 鈥淩eady to work together as we did for four years. With your convictions and mine. With respect and ambition. For more peace and prosperity.鈥�
Macron and other European leaders are trying to persuade Trump not to abandon America鈥檚 support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia鈥檚 nearly three-year invasion. European leaders hope to convince Trump that a victory by Russia would be viewed as a defeat for the U.S. 鈥� and for the incoming president, by extension 鈥� hoping to sell him on the need to pursue an end to the war more favorable to Kyiv than he might otherwise seek.
Trump over the weekend to nominate , the father of his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to serve as ambassador to France. by Trump in December 2020 after pleading guilty years earlier to tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations.
The reopening of will be , beginning Saturday.
Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich will preside at a reopening service that afternoon, banging on Notre Dame鈥檚 shuttered doors with his staff to reopen them, according to .
The archbishop will also symbolically reawaken Notre Dame鈥檚 thunderous grand organ. The fire that coated the huge instrument in toxic dust. Its 8,000 pipes have been painstakingly .
Macron will attend and address the VIP guests.
After the service, opera singers Pretty Yende, from South Africa, and Julie Fuchs, from France; Chinese pianist Lang Lang; Paris-born cellist Yo-Yo Ma; Benin-born singer ; Lebanese singer Hiba Tawaji and others will perform at a concert Saturday evening, according to the show鈥檚 broadcaster, France T茅l茅visions.
On Sunday morning, the Paris archbishop will lead an inaugural Mass and consecration of the new altar.
Nearly 170 bishops from France and other countries will join the celebration, along with priests from all 106 parishes in the Paris diocese. The Mass will be followed by a 鈥渇raternal buffet鈥� for the needy.
Ile de la Cit茅, where the cathedral sits in the middle of the River Seine, will be blocked off to tourists for the events. A public viewing area with room for 40,000 spectators will be set up along the Seine鈥檚 southern bank.
___ Associated Press writer Zeke Miller contributed to this report from Washington.
Jill Colvin, The Associated Press
