Macron Skips Planned Greeting for Trump at G7 Summit

French President Emmanuel Macron deviated from the planned G7 summit agenda Monday, opting not to personally receive U.S. President Donald Trump upon his arrival in Évian, France. Trump arrived from Geneva Airport at 13:56 GMT.

Contrary to the provisional schedule, which indicated Trump would be the sole leader personally welcomed by the host, Macron was not present on the red carpet at the Hôtel Royal. White House sources reported that Trump was accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. First Lady Melania Trump was not reported to be traveling with him.

At the time of Trump's scheduled arrival, the Élysée Palace announced Macron was in a meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. A bilateral meeting between Trump and Macron is still scheduled before the summit officially begins, followed by a working dinner for the leaders.

During the three-day summit, Macron intends to urge Trump to intensify pressure on Russia to end the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to attend a session on Tuesday focused on peace and security in his country. Macron described his anticipated conversation with Trump as "respectful but firm."

This diplomatic exchange occurs amidst reports from The New York Times that Trump has threatened Macron with 100% tariffs on French wine and champagne if France does not withdraw its digital services tax, which primarily impacts U.S. tech companies. Macron, in a television interview, defended the tax as a European decision and within France's rights, while emphasizing a pragmatic approach to his relationship with Trump, stating, "If I were resentful, it would cause me problems. I am pragmatic. I only have one jersey, that of the French national team; we are playing at home here."