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When the French come calling, you aim to impress.
With pomp and pageantry, President Joe Biden welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, to the White House on Thursday for an official state visit and dinner — the first of Biden’s presidency.
The official reason for the French leader’s visit was to celebrate the historic bond between the two longtime allies and strategize about world affairs like Russia’s war on Ukraine.
But the visit also comes after a diplomatic spat caused by a submarine partnership struck last year between the U.S., Australia, and Britain. The agreement cost the French its own submarine deal with the Aussies and dealt a serious blow to French national pride
That transatlantic tiff may not be forgotten, as far as the French are concerned, but Thursday was a day to focus on friendship and fraternité (brotherhood).
Here are some memorable moments from Macron’s visit:A 21-gun salute and a French kiss
Biden and first lady Jill Biden strolled out of the White House and down a red carpet at 9:18 a.m. on the chilly, late-fall morning to await the arrival of the guests of honor. A minute later, the Macrons pulled up in a black stretch limo. The couples exchanged greetings — in true French fashion, Macron kissed Jill Biden on each cheek — and then the festivities began in earnest.
There was a military procession, a 21-gun salute, and a formal inspection of the troops. A band played “The Star-Spangled Banner” and the French national anthem, “La Marseillaise.” As the two world leaders waited to begin their remarks, the Army’s Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps — decked out in long red coats and white pants — paraded in front of the stage.
Afterward, the presidents and their spouses headed to the Truman Balcony, where they waved to the crowd that had assembled on the South Lawn to watch the affair.
The war in Ukraine:Biden open to talks with Putin about ending Ukraine war as US, France show united frontThe handshake(s)
Body language can often reveal what people aren’t willing to say out loud. In this case, it just seemed to reinforce what Biden and Macron have said over and over again: They genuinely like each other.
While Biden waited for his remarks to be translated into French, the two men clasped hands for several seconds.
