PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron offered Donald Trump a glitzy dinner in Versailles - and the U.S. president seized the opportunity to sign an initial deal with Iran inside the palace.
As Trump was about to leave France on Wednesday following three days of intense diplomatic talks at a G7 summit, he casually announced to reporters as he was getting into his car: “We signed in Versailles.”
In videos posted on X by Macron and a White House aide, Trump was seen seated at a table signing a paper copy of the agreement. He then handed the document and pen to Secretary of State Marco Rubio as Macron, sitting next to him, told him: “Good job. Bravo.”
Officials and guests applauded.
One of the attendees, French Finance Minister Roland Lescure, described his surprise Thursday that the deal was signed during the dinner. Initial White House plans had considered a signing ceremony on Friday in Switzerland.
“We literally saw Marco Rubio leave - I don’t know if he had already printed the memorandum of agreement or went to print it - and come back,” Lescure added. “We cleared the plates.”
Asked whether Macron knew in advance that the deal would be signed, Lescure said he believed Trump had informed the French president shortly beforehand because the two arrived together.
“In any case, for us, ministers of the French government, it was a surprise,” he said.
A French official said Rubio and French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot together reviewed the memorandum of understanding before bringing it to Trump for signing. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the details with the media.
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