The Palace of Versailles: Macron's cherished soft power tool

French President Emmanuel Macron has organized a dinner for US President Donald Trump at the Palace of Versailles to encourage him to stay in France until the end of the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains. In an interview with TF1 before the summit opened, Macron explained that the dinner is not a gala but a celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence, highlighting France's role in it. He added that this will be a moment to honor the friendship between the two countries and that he himself does not plan to attend the US July 4 celebrations.

Macron also noted that Trump left 'in the middle' of last year's G7 summit in Canada, so this time he needs to stay until the end to finalize discussions on digital technology and artificial intelligence. The choice of Versailles was made to appeal to Trump, who favors lavish settings but is not fond of large multilateral meetings.

Versailles has been used by Macron for other high-profile visits since 2017. In May 2017, he hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin. In September 2018, then-Japanese crown prince Naruhito visited. In September 2023, Macron received King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom. Each visit included official meetings, joint press conferences, and state dinners.