President Donald Trump, a known lover of gold and gilded things, said he would extend his trip in France by a few hours to dine with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Palace of Versailles, calling it “the real deal.”
Speaking to reporters, the U.S. president appeared to confirm he would attend the dinner at the historic palace, but not for the “symbol of the Franco-American friendship” or celebration of America’s 250th, as Macron’s office explained to the Associated Press Sunday.
Rather, the “golden-era” U.S. president is attending because, “I’m a fan of beautiful places.”
“I was leaving in the afternoon and then the French president, who happens to be a very nice man, invited me to dinner at Versailles. And Versailles is not a gold leaf; Versailles is the real deal,” Trump explained Tuesday.
Macron and Trump will have dinner at the palace after meeting with world leaders during the Group of 7 summit on Wednesday.
Trump has decorated his buildings and residences with opulent marble and gold accents à la Palace of Versailles – something he said served as the design inspiration for the grand ballroom renovation at Mar-a-Lago in 2005.
That same Versailles-like design seems to be serving as some inspiration for the proposed White House ballroom, which would feature white Corinthian columns with gilded accents, large chandeliers and massive arched windows.
Two years into his term, Trump has made his gold mark on the White House and Oval Office by switching out wooden picture frames for gold-leafed, intricate ones, while replacing plain furniture with gold-accented pieces.
The U.S. president has also invoked his favorite metal during policy announcements and initiatives – launching Trump Gold Cards, as a form of visa and creating Trump gold coins, as a commemorative coin for America’s 250th anniversary.
Macron has invited various world leaders and famous people to the palace, hosting a state dinner for King Charles III and Queen Camilla in 2021 and inviting Russian President Vladimir Putin for a meeting in 2017 – before the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
World leaders have taken extra steps to show the U.S. president a level of appreciation and pageantry during his second term.
The King and Queen of England hosted Trump and First Lady Melania Trump for a state visit that included a lavish dinner at Windsor Castle.
Foreign leaders from Qatar rolled out the red carpet for Trump during a trip to the Middle East last year. Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado gifted Trump her 2025 Nobel Peace Prize medal, an award Trump has sought, during a visit to the White House. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung gifted Trump a replica of a gold crown during his visit in October.
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