US President-elect Donald Trump to attend the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on 7 December, Saturday. Trump announced his Truth Social platform: “It is an honour to announce that I will be travelling 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.”
He also praised French President Emmanuel Macron, saying he had done a “wonderful job in ensuring that Notre Dame has been restored to its full level of glory, and even more. It will be a very special day for everyone!” Macron was one of the first foreign leaders to congratulate Trump after his election victory last month.
The reopening will be a high-security event. Some 6,000 police officers and members of the gendarmerie will be deployed on Saturday and Sunday for the event, which is expected to be attended by some 50 heads of state and government, Paris police chief Laurent Nuñez said at a news conference.
Pope Francis said in September that he would not attend. The Île de la Cité, where Notre Dame stands in the middle of the Seine River, will be accessible only to guests and residents of the island, Nunez added. There will be room for 40,000 spectators on the south bank of the Seine.