US President Donald Trump has agreed to attend Bastille Day ceremonies in Paris on 14th July. France President Emmanuel Macron has invited President Trump. On Wednesday, a senior White House official confirmed that Mr. Trump would attend the ceremony.
History of Bastille Day celebrations
Bastille Day is a French national day to memorialize the invasion of the Bastille on 14th July 1789. Bastille Day events commemorated the day when a gang invaded the Prison in Paris, which marked the beginning of the French Revolution.
Bastille Day, officially referred as ‘la Fete Nationale’ in French, is celebrated every 14th July of each year.
The celebration is characterized by military parades, concerts, balls, and fireworks. According to numerous reports, Bastille Day celebration draws its roots from the ‘Fete de la Federation,' which was first held on 14th July 1790 to celebrate the unity of the French nation during the French Revolution.
According to The Guardian, a statement from Macron’s office said that: “As part of the remembrance marking the 100th anniversary of the entrance of the U.S into the First World War, the U.S President Donald Trump has accepted the request from President Macron to attend the Bastille Day parade on 14th July.”
President Trump accepts Macron’s invitation
The White House issued a statement saying that: “President Trump is looking forward to reaffirming U.S’s strong connections with France.” BBC reports indicate that the two President’s will “build stronger anti-terrorism co-operation and economic corporation between the two countries, and will talk about many other issues of mutual interest.”
A somber mood marked last year's Bastille events.
More than 84 people were killed, including at least ten children, when a lorry banged through a gathering of people as they were celebrating in the City of Nice.
Mr. Trump accepted the invitation to attend the celebrations, despite their recent frosty relation over climate change. Mr. Macron had sharply criticized Mr. Trump over his endeavors to withdraw from the Paris accord on climate change.
According to BBC reports, their handshake during last month’s Brussels meeting was “not innocent.”
The handshake between the two Presidents was so vigorous that they strangely gazed at each other.
Mr. Macron criticized Mr. Trump's stand on climate change. He satirically downplayed Trump’s phrase of “make America great again” converting it to “make planet earth great again.”
