In France, Biden will continue his duel with Trump remotely

Joe Biden flew away Tuesday for France, where he will salute the heroism of the American troops in 1944, praise the alliances of the United States and plead for democracy: so many opportunities to force the contrast with Donald Trump.

“We are the great world power”, proclaims the Democratic president in an interview broadcast by Time magazine, pleading for an active role for America in the world.

The allies of the United States fear, on the contrary, in the event of a victory for its Republican predecessor in November, a new isolationist turn.

” I have a radically different vision” from his, asserts Joe Biden, adding that “the main element (of American security) is our alliances.”

“He, Trump, he simply wanted to abandon them,” assures the 81-year-old Democrat, referring in particular to the 77-year-old billionaire’s criticism of NATO.

The American president's program in France testifies to this desire to distinguish himself as much as possible from his adversary.

Former US President Donald Trump in Manhattan Criminal Court, New York, May 30, 2024 © POOL – Seth Wenig

On Sunday, Joe Biden will lay a wreath at the Bois Belleau American cemetery (Aisne), in tribute to the soldiers who fell during the First World War.

In 2018, Donald Trump gave up going there, officially because of bad weather.

– “Losers” –

He feared, according to comments reported to The Atlantic magazine by witnesses, that the rain would disturb his hairstyle. And would have said: “Why should I go to this cemetery? It is full of +losers+”, losers.

Joe Biden will visit on Thursday in another famous American cemetery, that of Colleville-sur-Mer, in Normandy, and he will meet veterans there.

Before participating, the same day, in the international ceremony commemorating the Allied landings of June 6, 1944, at Omaha Beach.

Then he will be received on Friday in Paris by Emmanuel Macron , with a welcome ceremony, a military parade and a working lunch on the program, before joint statements to the press.

The day will conclude with a dinner State, a way for the French president to return the courtesy, he who had benefited from the same treatment in Washington in December 2022.

The two leaders must according to the White House make announcements on cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, energy transition and nuclear energy.

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French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. President Joe Biden toast during a state dinner at the White House, December 1, 2022 © AFP – Brendan SMIALOWSKI

Between the commemoration of “D-Day” and the splendor of the Elysée, the American president reserved Friday to address his compatriots.

He will deliver a speech on democracy and freedom from Pointe du Hoc, a promontory stormed by American “Rangers” during one of the fiercest battles of the D-Day landings.

< p>– Reagan –

40 years ago, Ronald Reagan made a powerful plea in the same place for democracy, “the most honorable form of government invented by Man”, and for the affirmation of American power in the world.

“We, in America, have learned bitter lessons from the two world wars: it “it's better to be here (Editor's note: in Europe), ready to protect peace, than to hole up on the other side of the ocean, only to retaliate when freedom is already lost,” the Republican president said.

In 1984, he was of course referring to the rivalry with the Soviet Union.

In 2024, these words echo Joe Biden's desire to support Ukraine against Russia, or to stand up to China.

Aerial photo of the American cemetery of Colleville-sur-Mer, taken on March 14, 2024 © AFP – Lou BENOIST

The White House also announced on Tuesday, shortly after the departure of the American president for France, that he would meet his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the D-Day commemorations, then at the G7 summit in Italy.

But it is of course also Donald Trump that the Democratic president will think of.

The Republican , who never conceded defeat in 2020, is campaigning on a promise of “revenge” against his political opponents.

“Something broke in this guy for real” four years ago, Joe Biden said Monday during a meeting with donors Democrats.

“It literally drives him crazy,” he added, repeating, as he does every time, that American democracy would be “at stake” during the November election.

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