Macron's second day visiting Trump: French president proposes 'new' Iran nuclear deal in gamble to keep USA on board, as it happened

Mr Trump and Mr Macron are negotiating all day on a range of issues including nuclear proliferation, climate change, and trade

President Macron arrives at the White House for Trump meeting

Donald Trump has given his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron a red carpet welcome at the White House.

The US president and first lady greeted Mr Macron and his wife, Brigitte, in a ceremonial welcome Tuesday morning which saw nearly 500 US service-members from all five military branches participate in a ”Review of the Troops”.

The two leaders later held a joint press conference in which they announced progress on a range of issues, including the potential that they could begin negotiating a "new" Iran nuclear deal that would leave the current one largely in-tact.

Mr Macron is on a three-day official state visit to the US, the first in Mr Trump’s presidency.

On Monday, the presidents took a helicopter tour of Washington monuments and then went on a trip to the Potamic River home of George Washington for dinner.

Aside from the pomp and ceremony, Mr Trump and Mr Macron agree on some fundamental issues.

One main point of contention is the multinational nuclear deal aimed at restricting Iran’s development of nuclear weapons, which Mr Trump wants to abandon.

Mr Trump ended his first year in office without receiving a foreign leader on a state visit, making him the first president in nearly 100 years to fail to do so.

Last July, he was Mr Macron’s guest at the annual Bastille Day military parade in the centre of Paris.

Key Points

• Mr Macron said that he is willing to negotiate a 'new' Iran nuclear deal that builds on the current base — Mr Trump signalled that he may be open to the idea
• Mr Trump repeatedly called the Iran nuclear deal a disaster while visiting with Mr Macron, and said the country is behind a lot of the world's troubles
• While bragging about the warm relationship he has with Mr Macron, took the opportunity to brush what he said was 'dandruff' off of the French president's shoulder

[24 April 2018 16:02 · Kristin Hugo]

President Donald Trump, during a bilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, told reporters in the Oval Office that Iran is behind the world's troubles.

"It just seems that no matter where you go, especially in the Middle East, Iran is behind it. Wherever there's trouble — Yemen, Syria — no matter where you have it, Iran is behind it. And now, unfortunately, Russia is getting more and more involved."

Mr Macron is expected to try and convince Mr Trump to keep the Iran nuclear deal in-tact, even though the American president has repeatedly said he thinks the deal is "terrible".

[24 April 2018 16:29 · Kristin Hugo]

Here are some photos from the set up for tonight's state dinner to celebrate President Emmanuel Macron's visit to the United States.

[24 April 2018 17:01 · Kristin Hugo]

After a morning railing against the Iran nuclear deal, President Donald Trump hinted that side deals could potentially be worked out. Mr Trump softened his language after a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.

"We're looking forward to doing something but it has to be done and it has to be done strongly," Mr Trump said during the Cabinet Room meeting. 

Mr Trump and Mr Macron had spent the morning bragging about their close relationship. The French president is reportedly hoping to lobby Mr Trump not to destroy the Iran deal.

"We're fairly close to understanding each other. Our one on one went very well," Mr Trump said in the Cabinet Room of the future of the Iran deal.

[24 April 2018 17:05 · Kristin Hugo]

President Donald Trump said during a meeting in the Cabinet Room alongside French President Emmanuel Macron that he would like to meet with North Korea leader Kim Jong un "as soon as possible".

"He really has been very open and I think very honorable from everything we're seeing," Mr Trump said of Mr Kim. "Now a lot of promises have been made by North Korea over the years but they have never been in this position."

Mr Trump said that he would walk away from the talks if they do not seem promising.

"We'll see where that will all go," Mr Trump said. "Unlike past administrations, I will leave the table. But I think we have the chance to do something very special."

[24 April 2018 17:09 · Kristin Hugo]

Another potentially awkward power move has been spotted online between US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron.

A video of the two heading inside after remarks on the White House grounds appears to show Mr Trump yanking Mr Macron away.

[24 April 2018 17:15 · Kristin Hugo]

French President Emmanuel Macron said during a meeting in the White House Cabinet Room that he had discussed a range of issues with President Donald Trump.

Topics ranged from Syria and Iran, to steel and aluminium overcapacity, and the environment.

"We discussed the Paris agreement and our common challenges on the climate," Mr Macron said.

Mr Trump has promised to pull the United States out of that deal, and Mr Macron has reportedly been trying to lobby Mr Trump not to do so. He said their discussions on the matter were "very direct and fruitful".

[24 April 2018 18:04 · Andrew Buncombe]

No comment yet from Mr Macron if Mr Trump's famous hair also has a touch of dandruff: 

[24 April 2018 18:07 · Andrew Buncombe]

Here's our columnist David Usborne on the Trump-Macron meeting: 

[24 April 2018 18:10 · Andrew Buncombe]

President Donald Trump said that he plans on bringing American troops in Syria home during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron.

"We're going to be coming home relatively soon," Mr Trump said, referring to the roughly 2,000 American troops stationed in the area.

Those troops are not deployed in an active duty capacity in the same way that troops have been for past wars in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. Instead, they are working in advisory roles with Syrian Defense forces or providing support for local militias fighting Isis.

Mr Trump added that bringing those troops back won't mean that anyone forgets the American impact.

"But we want to leave a strong and lasting footprint," Mr Trump continued.

[24 April 2018 18:12 · Andrew Buncombe]

President Donald Trump laid out a pretty simple goal for his upcoming negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong.

"I want them to get rid of their nukes," he said during a joint press conference alongside French President Emmanuel Macron.