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Did You Notice What Was Missing When Macron Arrived at the White House?

Katie Pavlich
Katie Pavlich  |  February 24, 2025 10:45 AM

UPDATE: Upon Macron's second arrival of the day, President Trump greeted him at the doors of the West Wing. Macron left the White House campus for the Blair House after an early morning meeting and G7 call in the Oval Office. He is back for meetings, lunch and joint press conference in the afternoon. 


***Original story***

President Donald Trump is hosting French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House Monday, with a series of meetings planned and a joint press conference in the afternoon. 

Macron is one of many world leaders Trump has invited to the Oval Office since starting his second term in January, but Macron's arrival Monday morning was different than the others: He was not greeted by Trump at the doors of the West Wing. 

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The  move comes as Trump and his national security team aggressively push for an end to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and for European countries to pay more for their own defense. 

"You can’t be weak in the face of President Putin. It’s not you, it’s not your trademark, it’s not in your interest," Macron said last week ahead of the meeting. "How can you then be credible in the face of China if you’re weak in the face of Putin?'"

The day of meetings includes a call with G7 leaders and takes place on the three year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and talks about Ukraine's future in NATO.