President Trump, President Macron Hold Press Conference In Paris (Watch Replay)

PARIS, FRANCE — President Trump said Thursday his son Donald Trump Jr. is a "great person" and downplayed the recent firestorm that erupted after it was revealed Trump Jr. arranged a meeting during the presidential campaign with a woman named as a "Russian government attorney." The remarks came during a press conference in Paris with President Macron. You can watch a replay of the event below.

Trump continues to face questions about the ongoing controversy about the June 2016 meeting, which included Trump Jr., son-in-law Jared Kushner, and then-Campaign Manager Paul Manafort. Emails detailing the plans for this meeting appear to show that the Trump campaign was aware of and willing to participate in the Russian government's effort to help the president's campaign. Trump and his team have long denied such allegations of "collusion." (For more information on this and other political stories, subscribe to the White House Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

A reporter pointed out that Trump's nominee for the FBI directorship, Chris Wray, said in Senate testimony that anyone receiving the emails Trump Jr. received should have called the bureau to report them.

"Nothing happened from the meeting," Trump said. "Zero happened from the meeting." He denied that the lawyer in question was a Russian government lawyer despite the fact that she was identified as such in the planning emails for the meeting.

He also said his son was a very fine person and that most people would have taken the meeting. He added that the media was making to big a deal about the incident, even though Trump Sr. and Trump Jr. had both denied that the Russians have had any involvement in the campaign.

Asked about his previous comments saying, "Paris isn't Paris anymore" and that France was infected with terrorism, Trump said that France would be fine because it now has a great president.

At one point, Macron said that the next question should go to an American journalist. Instead, Trump called on a foreign reporter.

Much of the press conference centered on the presidents' mutually reaffirming their countries' strong relationship.

"France is America's first and oldest ally," Trump said in the press conference in his opening statement. "A lot of people don't know that."

He also showed reverence for French history: "When the French people rose up and stormed the Bastille, it changed the course of human history."

Asked about the relationship between the United States and France, Macron said, "We have a number of disagreements," noting the issue of climate change in particular. However, he said that having a strong relationship between the two countries was deeply important, which Trump reiterated.

"Something could happen with respect to the Paris Accord," Trump added. "We'll see what happens."

During the the most recent French election, Trump did not officially take a position on which candidate he thought should win; President Obama, however, publicly threw his weight behind Macron. Trump did comment that recent terrorist attacks in France would likely help Macron's opponent, the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, who went on to lose the election by a significantly larger margin than polls had predicted.

Watch a replay of the press conference below:

Watch the president was and the first lady arrive in Paris:

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Photo by Michael Ukas - Pool / Getty Images