french president emmanuel macron. he and president trump are meeting to talk about security, trade and the iran nuclear deal. and later this morning, they'll be holding a joint news conference. we will have live coverage scheduled to begin in about 45 minutes here on c-span 3. this evening the french president and his wife guests of president trump and first lady melania as they host their first white house state dinner. live coverage starting at 6:30 p.m. eastern, also here on c-span 3. this afternoon on capitol hill, testimony on the 2019 budget for usaid and its international development work. that's live at 2:30 eastern. and today the president of france was welcomed back to the white house this morning with a traditional arrival ceremony that featured nearly 500 members of the u.s. military and a 21-gun salute. this is just one part of his three-day visit that began yesterday. ♪

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>> ladies and gentlemen, the national anthem of the french republic. followed by the national anthem of the united states. ♪

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>> ceremonial. >> ladies and gentlemen, the president of the united states. >> thank you very much. president macron, mrs. macron, members of the french dellegation, and distinguished guests, welcome to the white house. [ speaking in foreign language ] >> mr. president, melania and i were honored to visit your majestic country last summer and now we are thrilled to host you

and bridget here in america. the wonderful friendship we have developed over the last year is a testament to the enduring friendship that binds our two nations. it is truly fitting that we are holding our first official state visit with the leader of america's oldest ally, the proud nation of france. [ speaking in foreign language ] >> this morning, we all send our

prayers to the bush family as we wish former president george h.w. bush a very speedy recovery. i also want to express our deepest sympathies to the canadian people following the horrendous tragedy in toronto that claimed so many innocent lives. our hearts are with the grieving families in canada. [ speaking foreign language ] >> your visit, mr. president, comes at a critical time for our alliance, along with our british

friends, the united states and france, recently took decisive action in response to the syrian regime's use of chemical weapons. i want to personally thank president macron, the french military and the french people, for their stedfast partnership. they were absolutely incredible. thank you very much, mr. president. thank you. [ speaking in foreign language ] >> the long friendship between the united states and france began 241 years ago this month when a 19-year-old frenchman named lafayette set sail to join

america's fight for independence. he quickly won the trust of george washington, fought bravely in the battle and helped secure the aid of france for the american cause. decades later, president andrew jackson wrote that the memory of lafayette will be second only to that of washington in the hearts of the american people. [ speaking foreign language ]

>> the beautiful friendship between the united states and france forged in revolution has changed the course of history. exactly 100 years ago this spring, americans fought side by side with the gallant french in world war i. a generation later, in the second world war, hundreds of thousands of young americans and free french sacrificed together to save civilization in its hour of greatest need. [ speaking foreign language ] [ speaking foreign language ]

>> 60,000 american service members rest for eternity beneath the peaceful hills of the french countryside and in the soil of virginia and georgia, french patriots whose names are known only to guy lie in unmarked graves. today we meet to affirm this friendship that has flourished as an example to the world tore more than two centuries. [ speaking foreign language ] >> our two great republics are linked together by the timeless bonds of history, culture, and

destiny. we are people who cherish our values, protect our civilization, and recognize of image of god in every human soul. this legacy has made us who we are and given us what we hold dear, the blessings of faith and freedom, the marvels of art and science, the love of family and xoun community and the defense of home and country. [ speaking foreign language ] >> this righteous calling, this

sacred heritage, is what moved a young frenchman to risk death for american liberty at yorktown. it is what spurred the americans to storm the cliffs of omaha beach. it is what drove the farmers of massachusetts to stand at concord bridge and the citizens of paris to man the barricades and just weeks ago we added a new name to this chronicle of our great heros, a brave french policeman named arnaud beltran. colonel beltran stared down evil and did not flinch. he laid down his life for his neighbors, for his country, and for civilization itself. a great plan. [ speaking foreign language ]

>> and through that immortal deed, a son of france reminded the world of the true measure of our strength. [ speaking foreign language ] >> president macron, people of france, people of america, now is the time for strength, so let us be strong, let us be united, let us honor our past and face

our future with confidence and with pride and let the united states and france stand forever in solidarity for the noble cause of liberty and peace. thank you very much. [ applause ] [ speaking foreign language ] >> ladies and gentlemen, the president of the french republic. [ speaking foreign language ]

>> mr. president, dear donald trump, dear melania, dear bridget, dear distinguished guests, thank you for your warm welcome and for honoring france and the franco-american friendship with this state visit, the first of your presidency, which bears witness to the strength of the bonds that unites our two countries. [ speaking foreign language ]

[ speaking foreign language ] >> but first of all, please allow me to join your condolences, addressed to -- by the french people to the canadian people and to express our deepest sympathy to president bush and his family. it is in this sad moment as well and in this terrible circumstances that we stand together. [ speaking foreign language ]

>> two centuries ago it was laugh fayette who was welcome -- lafayette who was welcomed here to the united states 30 years after the war of independence. at the time he spent almost 14 months amongst you and my stay will be shorter but it is of special importance to and to all my fellow citizens who, for a long time, have had powerful and sincere feelings for your people, mr. president. [ speaking foreign language ]

>> in america i saw more than america. indeed, in it, he acknowledged the shape of democracy itself, an ideal meant to guide our statesmen, to inspiring the functioning of our institutions and to acknowledge the place of free individuals. [ speaking foreign language ]

>> dear mr. president, america represents endless possibilities for my country. it brings about hopes that overcomes all determinisms and described destinies. it has said that france has renewed with optimism. french shares with your country an ideal of freedom and peace. [ speaking foreign language ] >> over the last centuries we have weaved our histories through our common struggles where each time together, we ve the western world and aspired to universality.

[ speaking foreign language brx [ -- [ speaking foreign language ] >> through all revolutions, from the very beginning, yesterday evening, we were at mount vernon at the residency of the first president of the united states, george washington, on whose tomb i wish to pay tribute, together with you. inside the mansion, we saw the key to the bastle prison which was sent to him by lafayette as a symbol of this unbreakable bond. [ speaking foreign language ]

>> this year, then through our struggles for freedom, this year as we commemorate the end of world war i, i wish to offer you a tree. from this forest north of my country where in 1918 u.s. soldiers and marines in particular displayed courage and devotion. [ speaking foreign language ]

>> i am pleased that this tree that grew close to the famous bull dog fontaine in the soil where your soldiers shed their blood can now grow here in the white house in front of us as a symbol of the sacrifice and the common battles that france and the united states have led together. [ speaking foreign language ]

>> these values inherited and shared by our two countries are the foundation on which we shall continue to build and ride together, side by side, the chapters of our modern history. forged the western world and aspire to universality such remains our challenge today. [ speaking foreign language ] >> it is together that the united states and france will defeat terrorism. france and america are both confronted to it in various forms on our respective soils,

or in africa. it is together that we will counter the proliferation of massive destruction be it in north korea or in iran. [ speaking foreign language ] >> it is together that we shall build a new form of prosperity for our peoples which means innovation, free and fair trade, and the protection of our middle classes. [ speaking foreign language ]

>> it is together that we will be able to act effectively for our planet. i'm not just referring to climate but also to the oceans, to biodiversity, and to all forms of pollutions. on this issue we do not always agree as to the solutions, but in the end, such is the case in any family, and in any friendship, and it is also where the fate of our children is at stake. >> it is together that we can resist the rise of aggressive nationalisms, that deny our history an divide the world.

it is together that we will build a new, strong multilateral that defends pluralism and democracy in the face of ill winds. [ speaking foreign language ] >> for our culture, our identity has always been to work for our countries while aspiring to universality. [ speaking foreign language ] >> our friendship has constantly

grown more solid, dipping into the ink of the challenges we have yet to overcome. that is where we stand today, history's calling us. it is urging our peoples to find the fortitude that has guided us in the most difficult of times. france and with it europe, and the united states, have an appointment with history. [ speaking foreign language ] >> we have but one duty, mr. president, dear friend, to be at that appointment. [ speaking foreign language ]

>> so thank you, mr. president, and thanks to the first lady for your invitation and for giving us this opportunity to work together towards that goal. and for giving us an opportunity to express once again our friendship. [ speaking foreign language ] >> long live the united states, long live france. thank you. [ applause ]

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taking a look here at the official welcoming ceremony from earlier today. this is the second day of a three-day visit to the u.s. by the president of france and his wife. taking you live now to the white house, president trump and president macron will be taking reporters' questions here. they are finishing up a meeting in the oval office and then after this news conference, president macron will be attending a state department lunch hosted by the vice president, mike pence. and then tonight, president trump and the first lady will host their first official state dinner for their guest of honor and we will have live coverage at 6:30 p.m. eastern time here on c-span 3.