Macron's second day visiting Trump: French president proposes 'new' Iran nuclear deal in gamble to keep USA on board, as it happened

Mr Trump and Mr Macron are negotiating all day on a range of issues including nuclear proliferation, climate change, and trade

President Macron arrives at the White House for Trump meeting

Donald Trump has given his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron a red carpet welcome at the White House.

The US president and first lady greeted Mr Macron and his wife, Brigitte, in a ceremonial welcome Tuesday morning which saw nearly 500 US service-members from all five military branches participate in a ”Review of the Troops”.

The two leaders later held a joint press conference in which they announced progress on a range of issues, including the potential that they could begin negotiating a "new" Iran nuclear deal that would leave the current one largely in-tact.

Mr Macron is on a three-day official state visit to the US, the first in Mr Trump’s presidency.

On Monday, the presidents took a helicopter tour of Washington monuments and then went on a trip to the Potamic River home of George Washington for dinner.

Aside from the pomp and ceremony, Mr Trump and Mr Macron agree on some fundamental issues.

One main point of contention is the multinational nuclear deal aimed at restricting Iran’s development of nuclear weapons, which Mr Trump wants to abandon.

Mr Trump ended his first year in office without receiving a foreign leader on a state visit, making him the first president in nearly 100 years to fail to do so.

Last July, he was Mr Macron’s guest at the annual Bastille Day military parade in the centre of Paris.

Key Points

• Mr Macron said that he is willing to negotiate a 'new' Iran nuclear deal that builds on the current base — Mr Trump signalled that he may be open to the idea
• Mr Trump repeatedly called the Iran nuclear deal a disaster while visiting with Mr Macron, and said the country is behind a lot of the world's troubles
• While bragging about the warm relationship he has with Mr Macron, took the opportunity to brush what he said was 'dandruff' off of the French president's shoulder

[24 April 2018 14:49 · Samuel Osborne]

Welcome to The Independent's live blog on the second day of Emmanuel Macron's three-day official state visit to the US.

The French president and his wife, Brigitte, have been welcomed at the White House by Donald Trump and the first lady, Melania. 

The arrival was heavy on pomp, with nearly 500 US service-members from all five military branches participating in the ceremonial welcome, which includes a "Review of the Troops". 

[24 April 2018 15:00 · Samuel Osborne]

Donald Trump said the "wonderful friendship" he has developed with Emmanuel Macron is a testament to two nations' enduring alliance. 

He thanked the French president for his "steadfast partnership" in responding to the recent chemical attack in Syria. 

[24 April 2018 15:04 · Samuel Osborne]

Mr Trump also sent prayers to the Bush family and wished George HW Bush a "speedy recovery." 

The former president has been hospitalised in Houston with an infection days after attending the funeral of his wife, Barbara Bush. 

Mr Trump also sent the nation's sympathies to the Canadian people following the "horrendous tragedy" in Toronto. 

A driver drove a rented van along a crowded pedestrian walkway in Toronto, killing 10 people and injuring 15 others.

Mr Trump said the nation's hearts are with the grieving families in Canada. 

[24 April 2018 15:08 · Samuel Osborne]

Emmanuel Macron highlighted the close ties between his nation and the United States.

The French president, standing alongside Donald Trump, said: "America represents endless possibilities for my country." 

He also told the US president "France shares with your country an ideal of freedom and peace." 

Mr Macron touted how the French fought alongside George Washington during the American Revolution, which laid the blueprint for cooperation between the nations. 

The French president, who enjoys a closer relationship with Mr Trump than many of his European peers, said France works alongside the US on challenges like terrorism, North Korea and Iran. 

He is expected to lobby Mr Trump to maintain the Iran nuclear deal and reconsider the decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement. 

[24 April 2018 15:22 · Samuel Osborne]

[24 April 2018 15:36 · Kristin Hugo]

While Presidents Trump and Macron hold a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office this morning, their wives are headed to the National Gallery of Art.

The museum is a short drive from the White House, and sits right on the National Mall.

A French reporter snapped this video of Melania Trump and Brigitte Macron arriving at the museum.

 

[24 April 2018 15:40 · Kristin Hugo]

While President Emmanuel Macron is expected to push President Donald Trump to stay in the Iran nuclear deal negotiated by his predecessor — among other agreements like the Paris Climate Accord — the US leader has already signaled his feelings on the issue.

Shortly after the two stood on the White House grounds and gave speeches praising the relationship between the US and France, Mr Trump reiterated his position on the deal, calling it "a terrible deal" that should have never been made.

[24 April 2018 15:47 · Kristin Hugo]

President Donald Trump, while praising his close personal relationship with President Emmanuel Macron, took a quick moment to help his French counterpart out by wiping his suit collar for him.

"We do have a very special relationship, in fact I'll get that little piece of dandruff off — we have to make him perfect, he is perfect" Mr Trump said, while brushing Mr Macron's collar and laughing.

[24 April 2018 15:49 · Kristin Hugo]

President Donald Trump threatened Iran during an Oval Office meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, warning the country against restarting its nuclear programme.

"It won’t be so easy for them to restart it. They’re not going to be restarting anything. If they restart it, they’re going to have big problems, bigger than they ever had before," Mr Trump said.

"And you can mark it down. If they restart their nuclear programme they will have bigger problems than they ever had before."

Mr Macron is expected to lobby Mr Trump to keep the deal in-tact, while Mr Trump has repeatedly called the agreement "terrible".

[24 April 2018 15:54 · Kristin Hugo]

President Donald Trump, when asked if he might pardon his personal lawyer Michael Cohen, refused to answer.

Mr Cohen, who reportedly paid adult film actress Stormy Daniels $130,000 in 2016 — allegedly in exchange for her silence about an affair she says she had with Mr Trump over a decade ago — recently had his office, home, and hotel room raided by investigators in New York. 

"Stupid question," Mr Trump said when asked if he is considering a pardon, glaring at the reporter who asked.