Biden to host France’s Macron for state visit in December

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will host President Emmanuel Macron of France for a state visit on 1 December, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Monday.

Ms Jean-Pierre said the visit by the Macrons would “underscore the deep and enduring relationship between the United States and France, our oldest ally”.

“Our close relationship with France is founded on our shared democratic values economic ties, and defence and security cooperation,” she said, adding that Mr Biden and Mr Macron “will discuss our continued close partnership on shared global challenges and areas of bilateral interest”.

The visit by Mr Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron will be the first state visit hosted by the Bidens since Mr Biden was sworn in as president in January 2021. It will be the Macrons’ second state visit to Washington. Former president Donald Trump hosted the French first couple for a state visit in April 2018.

Asked whether the decision to host Mr and Ms Macron was informed by a desire to smooth tensions caused by last year’s announcement that Australia would purchase nuclear-powered submarines as part of a tripartite agreement with the US and UK rather than follow through with an earlier contract for diesel-electric French boats, Ms Jean-Pierre said the US “deeply value[s]” the Franco-American relationship, which she said is “founded on shared democratic values, economic ties, and defence and security cooperation”.

“We work closely with France on the full range of global challenges, as you all know, including the war in Ukraine. It is for these reasons that the President and First Lady thought it was important to welcome this close and value partner to the to the White House for their first state visit,” she said. “This is a valued, deeply valued relationship and one of our oldest allies”.