PARIS (AP) 鈥� French President Emmanuel Macron offered Donald Trump a glitzy dinner in Versailles 鈥� and the U.S. president seized the opportunity to inside the palace.
As Trump was about to leave France on Wednesday following three days of , he casually announced to reporters as he was getting into his car: 鈥淲e signed in Versailles.鈥�
In videos posted on X by Macron and a White House aide, Trump was seen seated at a table signing a paper copy of the agreement. He then handed the document and pen to Secretary of State Marco Rubio as Macron, sitting next to him, told him: 鈥淕ood job. Bravo.鈥�
Officials and guests applauded.
One of the attendees, French Finance Minister Roland Lescure, described his surprise Thursday that the deal was signed during the dinner. Initial White House plans had considered a signing ceremony on Friday in Switzerland.
鈥淲e literally saw Marco Rubio leave 鈥� I don鈥檛 know if he had already printed the memorandum of agreement or went to print it 鈥� and come back,鈥� Lescure added. 鈥淲e cleared the plates.鈥�
Asked whether Macron knew in advance that the deal would be signed, Lescure said he believed Trump had informed the French president shortly beforehand because the two arrived together.
鈥淚n any case, for us, ministers of the French government, it was a surprise,鈥� he said.
A French official said Rubio and French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-No毛l Barrot together reviewed the memorandum of understanding before bringing it to Trump for signing. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the details with the media.
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