Remember back in early December when leaders from around the world gathered in France to celebrate the re-opening of the Notre Dame Cathedral after it was damaged in a fire in 2019? Joe Biden wasn’t in attendance (nor was Kamala Harris for that matter), but Donald Trump was, and he was treated with the kind of respect we’re used to U.S. presidents receiving but haven’t seen in a few years.Â
Advertisement
“An actual red carpet was rolled out for Trump as Macron bestowed the kind of full diplomatic welcome that France offers sitting American presidents, complete with trumpets blaring and members of the Republican Guard in full uniform. It was a clear sign that even though Trump doesn’t take office until Jan. 20, 2025, Macron and other European leaders are already working to win his favor and treating him as America’s representative on the world stage,” the Associated Press wrote.Â
Related: We’re Back, Baby! Trump Goes to Paris and Reminds the World Who’s Number One
But what really caught people’s attention was how well Trump and First Lady Jill Biden, who was seated next to him, seemed to get along. They were chatting and smiling as if he was not a “threat to democracy” after all.Â
I just want to find someone that looks at me the way Jill Biden looks at Trump pic.twitter.com/cjiER7dWsV
— drefanzor memes (@drefanzor) December 7, 2024
President Trump even posted on Instagram that “Jill was very nice. A great conversation!” (Of course, he also posted an image of the two of them on Truth Social as part of an ad to sell his fragrances. It read “A fragrance you enemies can’t resist.”)Â
Advertisement
So, what did the first lady and president-elect talk about on that newsworthy day in Paris?Â
Well, according to Biden, who recently did an interview with The Washington Post, Trump said to her, “I had a good meeting with your husband in the Oval Office,” and she took it as an opportunity to poke a little fun at him and the sitting president. Â
She replied, “Yes, because you’re both talkers.”Â
The Post reporter seemed surprised that Mrs. Biden would have such a congenial conversation with the man her husband calls a threat to democracy, but Biden replied, “Joe and I respect our institutions, our traditions, and it’s very important to me that they continue and we — what would be the point of nastiness?” (A little late on the whole “nastiness” thing, but I digress.)
Biden also reiterated the story that she invited Melania Trump to tea at the White House, as is custom for first ladies, but Mrs. Trump famously declined the invitation. Biden said that in lieu of the meeting, she wrote a note to the incoming first lady and handed it to President Trump during their meeting at Notre Dame. “I congratulated her and I offered help,” Biden said. She also said that Mrs. Trump thanked her for the note at Jimmy Carter’s funeral last week.Â
Advertisement
It kind of sounds like the first lady (for a few more days anyway) is softening on the Trumps a bit. If she is to be believed, she was a lot nicer to them than she was to Nancy Pelosi in the interview or even Kamala Harris at Jimmy Carter’s funeral.Â
Maybe ol’ Dr. Jill is a closet MAGA supporter after all.Â
Even Dr. Jill voted for President Trump
MAGA! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/OSnI8iNpEO
— Monica Crowley (@MonicaCrowley) November 5, 2024
Joe and Jill definitely voted Trump, haven’t seen them this happy in months. pic.twitter.com/a2RKdOFpoX
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) November 13, 2024