Blog — France-USA Relations

From the earliest days of the crisis, France and the United States stepped up diplomatic consultations. Both countries share the goal of freeing hostages held in Gaza and condemn terrorist attacks against Israel. President Emmanuel Macron and President Joe Biden speak regularly by phone to coordinate their positions at the UN Security Council and with regional partners.

On the humanitarian front, Paris and Washington mobilize logistical resources to facilitate aid delivery to Palestinian civilians. Both capitals insist on respect for international humanitarian law and call for the protection of civilians on all sides. France, through Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna and later Stéphane Séjourné, advocates a durable political solution based on mutual recognition and the coexistence of two states.

Differences remain, however, over the timing of a ceasefire and the scope of Israeli military operations. Washington maintains reinforced military support for Israel, while Paris calls for a humanitarian pause and de-escalation. This asymmetry reflects distinct political sensitivities within the transatlantic alliance, without undermining the need for close coordination between historic allies.

Over the long term, the Gaza crisis is reshaping Franco-American priorities in the Middle East. Both countries converge on fighting terrorism and Hamas financing, but must navigate domestic balances — electorates, lobbies, public opinion — that shape their respective agendas. Franco-American coordination remains an essential lever for any diplomatic progress in the region.

The E-2 visa, reserved for nationals of countries that have treaties of commerce and navigation with the United States, allows investors to enter and work on American soil to develop a business in which they have invested a substantial amount. France and the United States have been bound by such a treaty since 1960, making it one of the most widely used tools for French entrepreneurs in the USA.

Extending initial E-2 validity to forty-eight months for French nationals responds to a recurring request from chambers of commerce and consular advisers. Previously limited to twenty-four or thirty-six months depending on the case, the longer duration reduces renewal frequency and brings welcome stability to business leaders and their families.

For French investors, affected sectors range from hospitality and tourism to tech and financial services. The U.S. Embassy in Paris and American consulates in France remind applicants that the E-2 remains a nonimmigrant visa: it does not lead directly to a green card, but offers a preferred pathway to test and develop a market before considering other statuses.

This measure fits a broader context of facilitating Franco-American economic exchange, despite periodic trade tensions. It illustrates the practical, concrete dimension of the bilateral relationship — beyond grand diplomatic speeches — and reinforces the place of French nationals among the most active foreign investors in the United States.

The 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), held in Dubai from November 30 to December 12, 2023, brings Emmanuel Macron and Joe Biden together around a shared climate agenda. Both leaders call for an accelerated phase-out of fossil fuels and stronger financing for adaptation in the most vulnerable countries.

France highlights its leadership in civil nuclear power and renewable energy, while the United States emphasizes the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the sweeping green investment plan adopted in 2022. The European Union, where France holds significant influence, has expressed concern about the IRA's distortive effects on transatlantic competition — a dossier Macron and Biden address on the margins of climate negotiations.

Commercial frictions do not disappear. Negotiations on steel and aluminum, electric vehicle import quotas, and battery rules of origin fuel tense dialogue between Brussels and Washington, with Paris on the front line. Yet both presidents maintain that climate change demands priority cooperation, beyond sectoral disputes.

The final COP28 text, which for the first time references a "transition away from fossil fuels," is welcomed by Paris and Washington as progress, however imperfect. The Franco-American climate relationship thus remains a mix of industrial competition and strategic partnership, reflecting the economic and ecological stakes of the twenty-first century.

In January 2024, as the war in Ukraine enters its third year, Paris and Washington announce renewed military coordination in support of Kyiv. The United States remains the leading contributor of defense materiel — ammunition, armored vehicles, air defense systems — while France intensifies deliveries of SCALP missiles, Leclerc tanks, and training for Ukrainian soldiers on European soil.

Franco-American cooperation also runs through NATO and the Ramstein format, where allied defense ministers meet regularly to coordinate shipments. France advocates a long-term strategy of support for Ukraine, including rebuilding its defense industry and gradually integrating it into Western standards. Washington shares that objective while remaining attentive to the budgetary cost of the conflict for American taxpayers.

Both capitals converge on rejecting any ceasefire that would consecrate Russia's annexation of Ukrainian territory. They support Ukraine's counteroffensive and holding the front in the east of the country, notably around Bakhmut and the Donbas. Deliveries of artillery ammunition and drones remain a shared priority.

This coordination illustrates the strength of the transatlantic alliance in the face of the Russian threat, despite internal U.S. debates over the level of American engagement. For France, support for Ukraine also confirms its role as an autonomous European military power, complementary to — not a substitute for — American commitment.

Since late 2023, Houthi rebels in Yemen have targeted commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea, claiming solidarity with the Palestinian population of Gaza. These attacks, carried out with drones and missiles, severely disrupt global trade: roughly twelve percent of international maritime traffic uses this strategic route between Asia and Europe.

The United States launches Operation Prosperity Guardian, a naval coalition intended to protect convoys. France participates by deploying the frigate Languedoc, equipped with air and missile defense systems. This contribution fits the tradition of France's permanent naval presence in the Indian Ocean and strengthens interoperability among allied navies.

Paris and Washington share the same objectives: guarantee freedom of navigation, protect crews and cargo, and deter the Houthis from continuing their strikes. Retaliatory strikes by U.S. and British forces against Houthi targets in Yemen spark debate in France over the level of engagement to adopt, with the French government favoring defense rather than offensive escalation.

This naval cooperation demonstrates Franco-American capacity to act together outside the strict NATO framework, in a theater where European and American economic interests converge. It also underscores the vulnerability of global supply chains to regional crises.

On June 6, 2024, the beaches of Normandy host an international ceremony of exceptional scale. Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron meet at the American cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, where more than nine thousand U.S. soldiers who fell during Europe's liberation are buried. This commemoration marks the eightieth anniversary of the Allied landings, the decisive operation that opened the path to victory over Nazism.

The presence of the American and French presidents symbolizes the continuity of an alliance forged in blood and sacrifice. Before the last surviving veterans, both leaders remind audiences that freedom and democracy in Europe owe much to the courage of American, British, Canadian, and French soldiers. Ceremonies also take place at Omaha Beach, Utah Beach, and other iconic landing sites.

Beyond the memorial dimension, this gathering carries contemporary political weight. Amid war in Ukraine, Biden and Macron emphasize that defending democratic values remains an active struggle. Normandy becomes a place where past and present meet, reminding Europeans and Americans of their shared responsibility in the face of authoritarian threats.

The ceremonies of June 6, 2024, will stand as one of the most striking moments of the Franco-American relationship this decade — blending history, collective emotion, and a strategic message for the future of the Atlantic Alliance.

On June 8, 2024, Joe Biden is received on a state visit in Paris by Emmanuel Macron. This most solemn format between two heads of state includes a dinner at the Élysée Palace, a procession on the Champs-Élysées, and in-depth talks on international dossiers. The visit comes in a favorable context: Franco-American relations, sometimes tense during Trump's first term, had stabilized under Biden.

Discussions cover Ukraine, the Middle East, competition with China, and defense-industrial cooperation. Paris and Washington announce joint initiatives in artificial intelligence, civil nuclear energy, and cybersecurity. France stresses the concept of European sovereignty, which Biden says he respects while recalling the importance of transatlantic unity.

On the economic front, both countries address tensions over American green subsidies and European responses. No major trade agreement is signed, but the presidents agree to continue dialogue within the Transatlantic Economic Council relaunched in 2023.

This state visit affirms the Franco-American partnership as a pillar of Western stability, just weeks before the Paris Olympics and months before the November 2024 U.S. presidential election.

From July 26 to August 11, 2024, Paris moves to the rhythm of the Olympic Games. The United States sends nearly six hundred athletes, one of the largest delegations ever deployed abroad by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC). This massive presence reflects American sports authorities' confidence in French organization and the appeal of the French capital.

American performances dominate much of the medal table, with successes in swimming, track and field, gymnastics, and basketball. French athletes welcome their American counterparts in a generally convivial atmosphere, despite traditional sporting rivalry. Events unfold at iconic venues — the Eiffel Tower, the Palace of Versailles, La Défense Arena — offering a global showcase for French culture.

Beyond sport, the Games foster people-to-people exchange: American tourists flock to France, Paris hotels fill up, and economic returns for the tourism sector are significant. Security, coordinated between French authorities and American services, ensures smooth proceedings for events involving delegations and VIPs from both countries.

Paris 2024 will be remembered as a moment of Franco-American soft power, where athletic competition strengthens ties between two societies that share a mutual fascination with culture, innovation, and excellence.

Each September, world leaders converge on New York for the UN's high-intensity diplomatic week. In 2024, Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron use this platform for a bilateral meeting focused on Ukraine, the war in Gaza, U.S.-China competition, and reform of multilateral institutions.

On Ukraine, both presidents reaffirm support for Kyiv and discuss arms deliveries for the coming winter. On the Middle East, they converge on the need for a two-state solution and on fighting terrorism, while managing differences over the timing of a Gaza ceasefire. Macron advocates renewed multilateralism; Biden recalls the central role of the United States in the UN system.

The question of the Sahel and France's military presence in West Africa is also raised, in a context of the gradual withdrawal of Operation Barkhane and the rise of Russian influence through Wagner and later Moscow-backed structures. Washington watches France's African strategy closely — a key partner, but sometimes divergent on modes of intervention.

This UN meeting illustrates the density of Franco-American dialogue: even when national agendas differ, both capitals maintain a permanent channel to coordinate action on the planet's most urgent dossiers.

The November 5, 2024, U.S. presidential election pits the incumbent Democratic candidate Joe Biden — replaced mid-campaign by Vice President Kamala Harris — against Republican candidate Donald Trump. For France, the stakes extend beyond the candidates' personalities: they touch common defense policy, transatlantic trade relations, and American engagement in Ukraine and the Middle East.

The Quai d'Orsay and the Élysée prepare multiple scenarios. A Democratic victory would extend the cooperative trajectory begun in 2021. A Republican victory would require reassessing American positions on NATO, tariffs, and support for Kyiv. French intelligence services and diplomatic advisers analyze both camps' programs and their implications for the European Union.

Paris refrains from any interference in the American electoral campaign, in keeping with diplomatic custom. President Macron congratulates the winner as soon as official results are announced, reaffirming France's willingness to work with the elected administration, whatever it may be. This posture of diplomatic pragmatism reflects a lesson learned during Trump's first term: the Franco-American relationship must survive political alternations.

The 2024 election thus marks a turning point for the bilateral relationship, opening a period of uncertainty that Paris approaches with clarity and preparation.

Five years after the fire of April 15, 2019, Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris regains its splendor. The reopening ceremony, presided over by Emmanuel Macron, gathers international figures: President-elect Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, numerous heads of state, and personalities from the arts and culture. The event transcends its religious frame to become a moment of global cultural diplomacy.

Donald Trump's presence, in transition between his November 5 election and January 20, 2025, inauguration, gives Macron an opportunity for a first direct contact with the future occupant of the White House. Talks on the margins of the ceremony cover Ukraine, transatlantic trade, and Europe's place in American strategy. Zelensky, also present, seeks to maintain Western support for his country amid the prospect of a Trump return.

The reopening of Notre-Dame also symbolizes French resilience and international solidarity: donation funds from around the world, including American contributions, financed part of the restoration work. Chief architect Philippe Villeneuve and French artisans are celebrated for their exceptional craftsmanship.

This day will remain in the annals as one of the most striking cultural and diplomatic events of the decade, where Paris regains a universal monument while hosting the great geopolitical debates of its time.

Donald Trump is inaugurated for a second time as president of the United States on January 20, 2025, at the Capitol in Washington. This inauguration, unprecedented since Grover Cleveland in 1893 for a second non-consecutive term, marks the return of a Republican administration whose first term (2017–2021) was marked by tensions with Paris — withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement, criticism of NATO, tariffs on French wine and cheese.

President Macron sends a measured message of congratulations, emphasizing the long history of friendship between France and the United States and the need to cooperate on shared challenges: security, trade, climate, and international stability. The foreign minister recalls that France does not choose its interlocutors but defends its interests with firmness and dialogue.

In Paris, diplomatic and economic circles prepare a strategy of pragmatic engagement. French companies exporting to the USA assess the risk of new surcharges. Defense institutions anticipate increased European contributions to NATO. Academics and think tanks analyze the Trump team's announced orientations on Ukraine and the Middle East.

The 2025 inauguration opens a new, uncertain but structured chapter of the Franco-American relationship, in which Paris intends to play a pivotal European role facing a potentially more unilateral Washington.

The AI Action Summit, organized in Paris in February 2025, brings together heads of state, tech leaders, and researchers around a central question: how to regulate generative AI while fostering innovation? France, driven by its national AI strategy and the Paris ecosystem (Station F, Mistral AI, and other startups), seeks to position itself as both a regulatory and innovative power. The United States, home to OpenAI, Google, Meta, and Anthropic, defends a model more favorable to freedom of experimentation.

Franco-American discussions focus on AI system safety, personal data protection, algorithmic transparency, and prevention of malicious uses — deepfakes, cyberattacks, information manipulation. Paris advocates international standards inspired by the European GDPR; Washington fears that overly strict regulation could hinder American competitiveness against China.

Despite these differences, sectoral agreements emerge: cooperation on fundamental research, exchanges between INRIA and American universities, partnerships between Mistral AI and Silicon Valley actors. The summit produces a joint declaration on "safe, secure, and trustworthy" AI, even if concrete modalities remain to be negotiated.

This Paris gathering confirms that tech has become a pillar in its own right of the Franco-American relationship, alongside traditional defense and commerce.

On February 17, 2025, Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump speak by phone on the eve of a European meeting devoted to the future of the war in Ukraine. This exchange illustrates the importance of the bilateral Franco-American channel in moments of geopolitical tension, when Europe seeks to understand the new American administration's intentions toward Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky.

Trump had campaigned on a promise to "resolve quickly" the conflict in Ukraine, raising concern in Kyiv and European capitals about a possible deal with Moscow at the expense of Ukraine's territorial integrity. Macron, for his part, defends a durable peace based on respect for internationally recognized borders and the withdrawal of Russian troops.

The phone call also covers European contributions to common defense and the level of American military aid for 2025. Paris recalls that France has increased arms deliveries and its financial participation in the European peace mechanism. Washington evaluates the cost of the Ukrainian commitment for the federal budget.

This consultation, though informal, foreshadows the difficult negotiations ahead between the Trump administration and its European allies over the future of Ukraine and continental security architecture.

On February 24, 2025, Emmanuel Macron is received at the White House by President Donald Trump. This meeting, three years to the day after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, carries strong symbolism. Macron intends to defend European interests — trade, defense, Ukraine — before an American administration whose priorities differ from those of Joe Biden.

Talks cover tariffs announced by Trump on European products, NATO allies' defense spending levels, the fate of the Paris climate agreement, and strategy toward China. Macron advocates a balanced partnership, recalling that France is the United States' oldest commercial and military partner in Europe.

On protocol, the visit includes a joint press conference and a working lunch. Both presidents display measured cordiality, a legacy of their relations during Trump's first term, marked by memorable handshakes and public disagreements over NATO and multilateralism.

This visit to Washington confirms France's role as a privileged American interlocutor in Europe, capable of dialogue with administrations of different political sensibilities while defending European sovereignty.

In March 2025, Donald Trump multiplies statements criticizing NATO members he believes do not devote sufficient resources to their defense. He again raises the possibility of reducing American military engagement in Europe if allies do not reach the goal of spending 2% of GDP on defense — a target France is working to meet.

Emmanuel Macron responds by recalling that France is a loyal NATO ally, participating in collective operations, joint exercises, and financing of common infrastructure. He also notes that France maintains autonomous nuclear deterrence and a sovereign defense industry, elements complementary to American engagement, not substitutes for it.

The debate over burden-sharing within NATO is not new: Barack Obama, Donald Trump during his first term, and Joe Biden all urged Europeans to invest more. The difference in 2025 lies in the more transactional tone of the Trump II administration, which explicitly links military aid to allies' commercial behavior.

Paris seeks to avoid an open crisis within the Alliance while accelerating the build-up of European defense. Macron reaffirms that Europe must be a partner, not a free-rider, in transatlantic security — a message aimed as much at Washington as at European capitals.

In March 2025, the White House announces a study of additional tariffs on a series of products imported from the European Union, notably targeting emblematic French exports: wines and spirits, AOP cheeses, luxury fashion, and civil aviation. These measures fit Donald Trump's "America First" logic, aimed at reducing the U.S. trade deficit and protecting domestic industry.

France, the third-largest European exporter to the United States after Germany and Italy, would be particularly affected. Wine federations and cheese unions warn of risks to sectors already weakened by 2019–2020 surcharges, partially lifted under Biden. The luxury sector — LVMH, Kering, Hermès — closely watches tariff developments on leather goods and perfumes.

Paris and Brussels prepare a coordinated response within the European Union, in accordance with international trade rules and WTO procedures. The European Commission recalls its right to proportional retaliation, as in the Boeing-Airbus dispute. The French government calls for dialogue but says it is ready to defend its exporters' interests.

These tariff threats illustrate the volatile economic dimension of the Franco-American relationship, where strategic cooperation and commercial rivalry have coexisted for decades.

Trade tensions between the United States and the European Union, where France is an influential member, intensify in the spring of 2025. The Trump administration applies or threatens tariffs on steel, aluminum, vehicles, and European agricultural products. In return, Brussels prepares lists of targeted American products for possible countermeasures.

France advocates a firm but negotiated approach. The minister of the economy and finance pleads for respect of WTO rules and recalls that bilateral Franco-American trade exceeds 100 billion euros per year. American investments in France — data centers, battery plants, corporate headquarters — and French investments in the USA — L'Oréal, Sanofi, TotalEnergies — create interdependence that encourages moderation.

Disputes also concern digital taxation of American tech giants (GAFAM), subsidies for green industry (Inflation Reduction Act versus the European plan), and sanitary standards on food products. Paris and Washington maintain dialogue channels — embassies, Franco-American chambers of commerce, G7 summits — to avoid generalized escalation.

This period of trade tension reminds us that the Franco-American relationship rests on solid foundations — cross-investments, human ties, security alliance — but remains vulnerable to protectionist political cycles on the other side of the Atlantic.

Each year at the start of January, the French president addresses ambassadors gathered in Paris to take stock of diplomacy and set foreign policy directions. On January 8, 2026, Emmanuel Macron devotes a significant portion of his speech to the evolution of the transatlantic relationship and the relative withdrawal of the United States from certain multilateral responsibilities under Trump's second administration.

Macron speaks of the need for Europe to prepare for greater strategic autonomy: defense, energy, technology, diplomacy. He cites uncertainties over American support for Ukraine, the gradual disengagement from certain UN missions, and the questioning of climate and trade agreements. Without breaking with Washington, he calls on Europeans to "take their destiny into their own hands" facing a more unpredictable American partner.

The speech echoes debates on "European sovereignty" that Macron has championed since 2017, but with renewed urgency. He mentions consolidation of the Franco-German partnership, strengthening of European defense industry, and partnerships with Global South powers. Observers see a message addressed as much to European capitals as to the White House.

This address to ambassadors confirms that the Franco-American relationship in 2026 is characterized by maintained dialogue but growing divergence over the role of the United States in the liberal international order.

The goal of devoting at least 2% of gross domestic product to defense spending, set by NATO allies at the Wales summit in 2014 and reaffirmed since, has become a major political marker of transatlantic relations. In May 2025, France announces a budgetary trajectory aimed at reaching and exceeding this threshold, under explicit pressure from the Trump administration and amid the persistent Russian threat in eastern Europe.

The French defense budget has risen steadily since 2017, with the 2024–2030 military programming law providing 413 billion euros over the period. Paris invests in modernizing nuclear deterrence, renewing frigates and combat aircraft (Rafale F5), space intelligence, and cyber defense. The French defense industry — Dassault, Naval Group, Safran, Thales — benefits from increased orders.

The United States, NATO's leading contributor with roughly 3.5% of GDP devoted to defense, urges Europeans to "pay their share." France responds by recalling that it is one of the few European countries with autonomous nuclear strike capability and that it conducts external operations in the Sahel, the Levant, and sub-Saharan Africa. It refuses, however, to tie its strategic choices solely to American demands, defending a European vision of defense.

This budget dossier illustrates the permanent tension between transatlantic alliance and national sovereignty: France honors its NATO commitments while affirming that European defense cannot be reduced to a simple increase in spending ordered by Washington.