Donald Trump’s closest confidante and first buddy Elon Musk was among the US delegation in Paris, which witnessed the historic reopening of Notre Dame. The Tesla CEO posted a fascinating video of the interior of the cathedral after entering it after its reopening. Musk was not a surprise guest as he was scheduled to land at Le Bourget Airport at 3.20pm (1420 GMT) today in his private jet.
The cathedral was symbolically opened with a knock on the doors in 2019, five years after it was ravaged by a devastating fire.
Wearing a new designer vestment and carrying a staff cut from a roof beam that survived the fire, Laurent Ulrich joined hundreds of VIPs inside the Gothic masterpiece for the two-hour ceremony.
With US President-elect Donald Trump sitting in the front row as guest of honor next to French President Emmanuel Macron, guests marveled at freshly cleaned walls, new furniture and state-of-the-art lighting as part of the cathedral’s renovation.
This was Trump’s first international event even before he officially took office. 40 other heads of state and government were also present, including Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, who was given a standing ovation as he entered Notre Dame, as well as British heir to the throne Prince William.
Macron held three-way talks with Zelenskyi and Trump at the presidential palace, expected to discuss future US military support for Ukraine’s war effort against Russian aggression.
Prince William will meet with Trump and outgoing first lady Jill Biden. “In Paris, His Royal Highness will also meet with the First Lady of the United States, Dr. Jill Biden, and the US President-elect, Donald Trump,” the Palace said in a press release. The last time William met Trump was in 2019, when the then US president was on a state visit to the UK.
The prince’s last official trip to Paris was in 2017, when he visited with his wife, Princess Catherine, for a two-day trip following the Brexit result.