Trump offers US assistance to help restore Notre Dame

President Trump said Wednesday that he spoke to Pope Francis and offered his condolences and the assistance of US expertise to help restore the landmark Notre Dame cathedral that was heavily damaged by fire.

“Just had a wonderful conversation with @Pontifex Francis offering condolences from the People of the United States for the horrible and destructive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral,” the president wrote on Twitter.

“I offered the help of our great experts on renovation and construction as I did in my conversation yesterday with President @EmmanuelMacron of France,” he added in another posting. “I also wished both Pope Francis and President Macron a very Happy Easter!”

The French president on Tuesday set a five-year deadline for repairing the 850-year-old Gothic cathedral in Paris after a massive blaze on Monday.

Nearly $1 billion has been raised to rebuild the house of worship – with France’s three richest families pledging $565 million.

On Monday as the world was glued to images of the flames rising from the interior of the cathedral, Trump wrote on Twitter that it was “so horrible to watch the massive fire” and suggested that firefighters should employ “flying water tankers.”

“Must act quickly,” Trump wrote.

But French officials said hundreds of firefighters were battling the blaze and they would pass on Trump’s suggestion.

“All means are being used, except for water-bombing aircrafts which, if used, could lead to the collapse of the entire structure of the cathedral,” the French civil defense department responded in a tweet.

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