The relationship between France and the United States is heading into a new and uncertain era reflecting the leadership of US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron. With Macron’s April 24-25 state visit to the White House and address to a joint session of Congress as backdrop, The French-American Alliance in an America-First Era explores the contrasting personalities and worldviews of these two presidents to consider whether they will overturn a generation of strengthening bilateral relations or if their unexpected bond will usher in new opportunities.

Written by Atlantic Council expert Jeff Lightfoot, a nonresident senior fellow with the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, this report contextualizes current US-French relations in an examination of the broader trends in American and French politics, foreign policy, and shared history of cooperation. The report also identifies opportunities to strengthen the alliance and highlights that the bilateral relationship extends beyond the two presidents.

 

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