Emmanuel Macron hails freedom ‘rendez-vous’ in US Congress speech
The French president spoke of his country’s shared history and ‘special bond’ with Washington.
Published
France’s President Emmanuel Macron drew on the shared history and “special bond” with the US as he opened a joint meeting of Congress.
Mr Macron told Congress, “the American and French people have had a rendez-vous with freedom”.
In recounting common bonds from the earliest days of the United States, he was telling of a meeting between Ben Franklin and the French philosopher Voltaire, “kissing each other’s cheeks”.
Mr Macron spoke on Wednesday as part of his visit to the United States.
It is the first time a president from France has addressed Congress in more than a decade, but follows a tradition of foreign leaders appearing at the US Capitol.
