Podcast Jacqueline Kennedy: Art in Cultural Diplomacy
First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy was the driving force behind a brilliant act of cultural diplomacy: bringing Leonardo Da Vinci’s ma...
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This photograph by Abbie Rowe of the National Park Service shows President Harry S. Truman, General Charles de Gaulle of France, and other military leaders saluting on the South Lawn.
National Archives and Records AdministrationIn this color photograph, President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy along with the guest of honor André Malraux, Minister of State for Cultural Affairs of France and his wife, Madeleine Malraux pose for a picture at the foot of the Grand Staircase in the White House Entrance Hall prior to a White House dinner on May 11, 1962.
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum/NARAThis photograph by shows part of the arrival ceremony for President Georges Pompidou of France on February 24, 1970, whose visit occurred during the Richard M. Nixon administration. The two presidents can be seen walking from the stage on the South Lawn.
White House Historical AssociationPresident Jimmy Carter and French Prime Minister Raymond Barre attend a working dinner in the White House on September 15, 1977.
Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum/NARAFirst Lady Nancy Reagan talks with her social secretary, Gahl Hodges Burt, as they walk through the Cross Hall of the White House on March 22, 1984. Danielle Mitterrand, wife of French President Francois Mitterrand, walks ahead of them on the right. The Mitterrands were in Washington, D.C., for an official State Visit.
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum/NARAPresident George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush stand with President Nicolas Sarkozy of France on the North Portico of the White House after his arrival for a State Dinner on November 6, 2007.
George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum/NARASinger Mary J. Blige performs during the State Dinner for President François Hollande of France inside a tent on the South Lawn of the White House, February 11, 2014. Hollande can be seen between President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.
Official White House Photo by Pete SouzaPresident Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump host President Emmanuel Macron and Mrs. Brigitte Macron of France at the arrival ceremony for the first official state visit of the Trump Administration on April 24, 2018.
Official White House Photo by Andrea HanksThis photograph of President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. sharing a toast with President Emmanuel Macron of the French Republic was taken by Matthew D'Agostino on December 1, 2022. The two presidents were photographed onstage during a State Dinner, held on the South Lawn, in honor of the French president's visit to the White House.
About this Gallery
For more than two hundred years, France and the United States have enjoyed a relationship unparalleled in world history. From the American Revolution and the Founding Fathers to the current administration, these two countries have shared a strong connection through art, culture, and history.
Past French Official State Visit that included a State Dinner are listed below:
First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy was the driving force behind a brilliant act of cultural diplomacy: bringing Leonardo Da Vinci’s ma...
A State Dinner honoring a visiting head of government or reigning monarch is one of the grandest and most glamorous...
The White House is a ceremonial stage upon which our nation welcomes our most important visitors, including foreign heads of...
The burning of the White House by the British in 1814 during James Madison's presidency represented a low point in our...
Biographies & Portraits
For two hundred years, Decatur House has stood as a near neighbor to the White House across Lafayette Square. Stewart...
Geography, history, and friendship have been the driving force of ties between the United States and Canada. In 1927, official rapport...
Long before the emergence of the United States and Italy as modern nation states were influenced by classical writers, philosophers,...
The White House has hosted many important heads of state over the years. Typically, the president and first lady join...
For more than two hundred years, France and the United States have enjoyed a relationship unparalleled in world history. From...
When heads of state visit the United States and the White House, the United States Chief of Protocol is on...
A dinner at the White House has always had significance beyond the gastronomical delights. The elegance of the State Dining...