Trump visit: Emmanuel Macron says US ‘is never so great as when it fights for universal values’ in pointed D-Day speech
Follow along for our coverage of Trump's visit to France, as it happened
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump have toured the beaches of Normandy to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion, hours after causing outrage in Ireland with his remarks about the country’s border with Northern Ireland.
“We have a border situation in the United States, and you have one over here,” the US president said during a meeting on Wednesday with Leo Varadkar, the Irish prime minister.
“But I hear it’s going to work out very well here,” Mr Trump, who is scheduled to return to Ireland after his France visit, continued.
In commenting about the historically contentious Irish border, Mr Trump appeared to be comparing the Brexit debate over Ireland and Northern Ireland with his attempts to curb immigration by building a wall on the US-Mexico border.
His speech came while touring the beaches and will also visit a US military cemetery in the area.
Mr Trump then returned to Ireland, where just the night before his two adult sons — Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump — were seen bar hopping.
The US president is expected to head home later this week, where he will once again be battling with a Congress that is actively investigating his 2016 campaign.
Please allow a moment for the live blog to load
Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron are holding a private meeting in the town of Caen in Normandy.
The pair are likely to discuss security, the fight against terrorism, instability in the Middle East, trade and Iran during a working lunch and private meeting.
Melania Trump and Brigitte Macron are expected to lunch separately.
The two presidents disagree on key issues, including climate change, Iran and world trade.
Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron shake hands during a bilateral meeting at the Hotel de Prefecture du Calvados.
The ceremony Mr Trump attended is one of a number of commemorative D-Day events being held today.
Prince Charles, his wife Camilla and Theresa May attended a service of remembrance at the medieval cathedral in Bayeux, the first Normandy town liberated by Allied troops after the invasion.
Cardinal Marc Ouellet read a message from Pope Francis with a tribute for those who "gave their lives for freedom and peace."
Ms May and Mr Macron also met earlier in the day, at a ceremony overlooking Gold Beach.
"If one day can be said to have determined the fate of generations to come, in France, in Britain, in Europe and the world, that day was the 6th of June, 1944," Ms May said earlier in the day at a ceremony overlooking Gold Beach.
"As the sun rose that morning...not one of the thousands of men arriving in Normandy "knew whether they would still be alive when the sun set once again," she said.
The prime minister joined veterans as they laid the cornerstone of a new memorial dedicated to the troops who died under British command at D-Day.
Donald and Melania Trump joined the French president and his wife in the Normandy American Cemetery earlier today.
The two couples walked down a short path into the cemetery to lay flowers at one of the soldiers' graves.
Around 9,300 graves fill the cemetery at Omaha Beach.
The group remained at the grave for several minutes, talking amongst themselves, according to White House pool reporters.
A series of Second World War landmarks including a group of sunken army tanks and training facilities for American soldiers are being granted protected status in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, writes Liam James.
The Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Normandy on D-Day was the largest combined land, air and naval operation in history and the new listings are all landmarks that were originally built to aid the offensive.
Among the listings are two tanks that were intended to support the invasion effort in June 1944.
Read more here:
Seventy-five years ago Thursday, a battalion of elite US Army Rangers scaled the 100-foot promontory overlooking Omaha Beach, with nothing more than ropes and rickety ladders, writes Scott Higham.
As enemy gunfire and grenades rained down, picking them off as they climbed, the Rangers secured the strategic high ground and silence a small battery of long-range German guns that had been moved inland.
The battle for Pointe du Hoc became of one the most heroic moments of the D-Day invasion. It was lionized by the legendary Hollywood film “The Longest Day” and by President Ronald Reagan, who stood on this hallowed ground to deliver one of his most famous speeches, extolling the bravery of the “Boys of Pointe du Hoc” on the 40th anniversary of the largest amphibious assault in the world's history.
Donald Trump has said he knows Britain's Queen Elizabeth "so well" after his state visit to the UK.
"I feel I know her so well and she certainly knows me very well right now, but we have a very good relationship also with the United Kingdom," he said.
"I found it to be a very amazing period of time, especially having spent so much time with the Queen, who I think is an incredible lady.
"There's a lot of question marks as to who's going to be leading (the Conservative Party) so it was very interesting talking to her (the Queen) and being with her for so many hours actually.
"I feel I know her so well and she certainly knows me very well right now, but we have a very good relationship also with the United Kingdom."
Mr Trump was speaking at a joint sit-down press conference in Caen, alongside French prime minister Emmanuel Macron.
Donald Trump has played down his policy differences with Emmanuel Macron over Iran.
The US president told his French counterpart that they both agreed Tehran should not have nuclear weapons.
He also said he was willing to reopen negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program, which he has said previously.
Mr Macron agreed that fresh negotiations with Iran were needed.
The US withdrew last year from a nuclear deal with Iran which was finalised by the Obama administration.
The Trump administration has also imposed strict sanctions on the Islamic Republic.
France, along with Germany, the UK, Russia and China have struggled to convinced Tehran to keep to the deal.
Donald Trump has said the "very big news" of the coming months "will be who is the new prime minister in the UK.
"So I think before you can find out what's going to happen in the next few weeks you have to find out who’s going to be the next leader."
The president was speaking to reporters before having a bilateral meeting with Emmanuel Macron, his French counterpart.
Mr Trump praised Boris Johnson, the frontrunner in the race to replace Theresa May, before arriving for a three-day long state visit to the UK.
He also requested a meeting with Michael Gove, Mr Johnson's leadership rival.
Donald Trump has once again criticised Iran and declared that it is a failing nation.
"When I became president, Iran was a true state of terror. They still are and were undisputed champions of terror," he said, while speaking to reporters in France.
"They are failing as a nation, but I don't want them to fail as a nation.
"We can turn that around very quickly but the sanctions have been extraordinary (in) how powerful they have been," he added.
"I understand they want to talk and that's fine, we'll talk. One thing they can't have is nuclear weapons."
Tensions between the US and Iran have increased since the Trump administration withdrew from the nuclear treaty and imposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic.
Hassan Rouhani, Iran's president, suggested last week that the country would be willing to resume talks if the US lifted the sanctions.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments