Biden to host Macron for the current U.S. administration’s first state visit

The first state visit of the Biden administration is slated to take place on Dec. 1 when French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, come to the U.S., said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre during a briefing for reporters on Monday. “We work closely with France on the full range of global challenges, as you all know, including the war in Ukraine. It is for these reasons that the president and first lady thought it was important to welcome this close and valued partner to the White House for their first state visit,” she said. Biden welcomed Japan’s prime minister to the White House in April 2021 for his first face-to-face meeting with a foreign leader, in a choice that reflected an emphasis on strengthening alliances to deal with a more assertive China.