President Donald Trump is set to take questions from reporters in Paris amid a swirl of controversy over his oldest son’s meeting with a Russian lawyer.
The joint news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron was set to begin around 6:30 p.m. local time (12:30 p.m. ET) at the Élysée Palace in central Paris.
The two men have been sitting for extended talks on security matters, including the civil war in Syria and counterterrorism efforts. Earlier, they toured France’s national military museum and Napoleon’s tomb at Les Invalides.
Trump arrived in Paris earlier Thursday, escaping at least temporarily the darkening crisis at the White House. Advisers have described a sense of paralysis as the administration comes to grips with the latest development in the Russia controversy.
In an interview Wednesday, Trump defended his son’s decision to meet with a Russian lawyer who he was told may have damaging information about Hillary Clinton. The President told Reuters: “I think many people would have held that meeting.”
The President last held a news conference a week ago in Warsaw following talks with the country’s right-leaning leader. During that session, he cast doubts on Russia’s culpability in last year’s election meddling, despite the views of US intelligence agencies.
In Paris, Trump could also face questions about global security and his strategy against ISIS, both of which he was planning to discuss with Macron. Climate change could also arise; Trump’s decision to withdraw from the global carbon reduction agreement named for this city drew widespread condemnation here.
