Defense Secretary James N. Mattis is in Paris to meet with senior French leaders and reaffirm the defense relationship that dates back to America’s struggle for its independence.
France is America's first and oldest ally. French support for the United States stretches back to 1775, when France shipped supplies to the Continental Army as the American colonies were engaged in the struggle for independence.
The relationship was formalized in 1778, when Benjamin Franklin and French officials signed the Treaty of Alliance, which made France an ally in the Revolutionary War.
The Statue of Liberty, a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States, was dedicated in 1886. U.S. and French troops fought as allies in both World Wars, and France was a charter member of NATO when the alliance was formed in 1949.
Today, France is a key partner in the coalition to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, and it’s active in NATO operations, including the alliance’s Enhanced Forward Presence and Air Policing missions.
The secretary’s visit to Paris included meetings with his French counterpart, Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly, as well as President Emmanuel Macron and Foreign Minister Jean-Yves LeDrian.