Trump visit: Emmanuel Macron says US ‘is never so great as when it fights for universal values’ in pointed D-Day speech
Follow along for our coverage of Trump's visit to France, as it happened
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Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump have toured the beaches of Normandy to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion, hours after causing outrage in Ireland with his remarks about the country’s border with Northern Ireland.
“We have a border situation in the United States, and you have one over here,” the US president said during a meeting on Wednesday with Leo Varadkar, the Irish prime minister.
“But I hear it’s going to work out very well here,” Mr Trump, who is scheduled to return to Ireland after his France visit, continued.
In commenting about the historically contentious Irish border, Mr Trump appeared to be comparing the Brexit debate over Ireland and Northern Ireland with his attempts to curb immigration by building a wall on the US-Mexico border.
His speech came while touring the beaches and will also visit a US military cemetery in the area.
Mr Trump then returned to Ireland, where just the night before his two adult sons — Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump — were seen bar hopping.
The US president is expected to head home later this week, where he will once again be battling with a Congress that is actively investigating his 2016 campaign.
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Donald Trump will travel from Ireland to France today and is expected to tour the beaches of Normandy as he marks the 75h anniversary of D-Day.
He will make a speech during a commemoration event and is scheduled to tour a nearby US military cemetery.
Mr Trump and his family spent Wednesday in Ireland, where the 72-year-old met Leo Varadkar, the Irish prime minister.
The US president caused outrage by comparing his attempts to build a wall on the US-Mexico border with the possibility of a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.
“I mean, we have a border situation in the United States, and you have one over here," he said on Wednesday.
"But I hear it’s going to work out very well here.”
"I think one thing we want to avoid, of course, is a wall or border between us," Mr Varadkar replied.
Many in Ireland are concerned that the UK's departure from the EU will lead to a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, potentially reigniting sectarian tension that lasted for decades.
Donald Trump's adult children appear to be enjoying their European trip.
Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump visited a few pubs in the village of Doonbeg in Ireland on Wednesday.
The men bought drinks for the locals and praised the village's support for the nearby Trump International Golf Course.
The US president met with Leo Varadkar, the Irish prime minister, on Wednesday.
Mr Trump will travel to France on Thursday, to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
Donald and Melania Trump have left Ireland and are en route to Normandy.
They are expected to arrive at 10am local time and will participate in the 75th D-Day anniversary commemoration event shortly afterwards.
Theresa May and Emmanuel Macron are currently in Normandy, paying tribute to the soldiers who served during the invasion.
Mr Trump and Emmanuel Macron will meet at the Normandy American Cemetery of Colleville-sur-Mer, near Omaha Beach, where US forces landed on in June 1944.
The leaders will then hold bilateral talks for about two hours, including during lunch in the city of Caen.
Donald Trump has already tweeted multiple times this morning, declaring Thursday a "big and beautiful day" and resuming his usual attacks against the US media.
He has also posted an image to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
Eric Trump, the president's son, has also posted online, thanking the people of Ireland for their "incredible support".
And Ivanka Trump, the first daughter, is currently in the Netherlands, where she visited the Hague on Wednesday.
The White House reportedly spent €888,721 (£796,365) on a fleet of limos hired for Mr Trump's visit to Ireland on Wednesday.
The US Embassy in Dublin is believed to have paid for the limos on behalf of the Department of State.
JP Ward & Sons, an undertaker's firm, provided the vehicles.
The four limos were hired for 30 days, despite Mr Trump's visit only lasting for two, according to The Irish Mirror.
Mr Trump has threatened China with "at least" another $300 billion of tariffs.
"Our talks with China, a lot of interesting things are happening. We'll see what happens... I could go up another at least $300 billion and I'll do that at the right time," the US leader told reporters just before leaving Ireland for France.
"But I think China wants to make a deal and I think Mexico wants to make a deal badly."
“Mexico was in yesterday. They’re coming back this morning... I think a lot of progress was made yesterday, but we need to make a lot of progress.”
“They have to step up and they have to step up to the plate — and perhaps they will.”
The US president added that “something pretty dramatic could happen” in trade negotiations with Mexico in the coming days.
Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron "will hold bilateral talks for about two hours, including during lunch in the city of Caen," writes Jon Sharman.
"It will give them “the opportunity to go a little bit deeper into a few big international, priority issues to try to make our positions get closer and build joint initiatives”, a senior French official said.
"On Gold Beach, one of two British landing sites, a lone piper played at 6.26am, the precise moment, 75 years on, that UK soldiers came ashore to launch the invasion."
Read more here:
Here is Donald Trump's schedule for his visit to France today.
#10.30am: Arrive at Normandy American Cemetery
#11.00am: Participate in the 75th Commemoration of D-Day
#12.00pm: Participate in the Omaha Beach Briefing and fly-over viewing
#12.10pm: View the Normandy American Cemetery
#12.55pm: Depart from Caen-Carpiquet airport en route to Calvados
#1.10pm: Arrive in Calvados
#1.30pm: Bilateral meeting with Emmanuel Macron
#2:05pm: Working lunch with Emmanuel Macron
#3.15pm: Depart Calvados en route to Caen
#3.15pm: Depart Caen-Carpriquet airport en route to Shannon, Ireland
All times are local
Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump are expected to discuss security, the fight against terrorism, the situation in the Middle East and trade policies during bilateral talks today.
France hopes the meeting will help the leaders "go a little bit deeper into a few big international, priority issues to try to make our positions get closer," a senior official in Mr Macron's office said.
The two leaders disagree on key issues, including climate change, Iran and world trade but their countries maintain a close military relationship.
Mr Trump has previously mocked Emmanuel Macron on Twitter and has appeared to delight in the yellow vests anti-government protests that have wracked France in recent months.
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