French President invited to address US Congress in April

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March 21, 2018 3:51 PM

"France is not only our oldest ally, but one of our strongest," said Speaker Paul Ryan.

French President Emmanuel Macron will address the US Congress when he visits Washington next month, the Republican speaker of the House of Representatives said Wednesday.

"I look forward to welcoming President Macron to the United States Capitol to address a joint meeting of Congress on April 25."

"This is a special opportunity to build on the historic relationship between our countries, and to reaffirm our commitment to defeating terror both domestically and around the world," Ryan said.

President Donald Trump is to host Macron at the White House on April 24, as he kicks off his two-day state visit.

With the exception of Macron's predecessor Francois Hollande, every French president since Charles de Gaulle has addressed the US Congress -- an honor reserved for the leaders of America's closest allies.

In 1976, then president Valery Giscard d'Estaing did so in English.

The last foreign leader to address members of the House of Representatives and the Senate was Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016.

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