Trump may reverse decision on climate accord: Macron

"(Trump) told me that he would try to find a solution in the coming months," Macron told the paper, referring to meetings the two leaders had this week in Paris.

"We spoke in detail about the things that could make him come back to the Paris accord," he added. Trump has said the Paris accord is soft on leading polluters like China and India, putting US industry at risk.

Trump on Friday appeared to hold the door open to a change of position on the 2015 Paris climate change agreement which he pulled the United States out of earlier this year.

The accord, reached by nearly 200 countries in 2015, was meant to limit global warming to 2 degrees or less by 2100, mainly through pledges to cut carbon dioxide and other emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. Trump has repeatedly said he would be open to a better deal for the United States.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump appeared to hold the door open to reversing his decision to pull America out of the 2015 Paris climate change agreement after a charm offensive from his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in the French capital.

To general surprise at the Elysée Palace, the US president said: "Something could happen with respect to the Paris accords."

He added: "Let's see what happens, but we will talk about that over the coming period of time and if it happens that will be wonderful and if it doesn't that'll be OK too."

Macron said that while he was in "strong disagreement" with Trump, he "respected" the fact that he was being true to "campaign commitments", and that France remained committed to the accord. There was no "sudden and unexpected change," he insisted, however. "I hope in the end to be able to persuade him." Clearly charmed by his visit to a capital he only recently decried as unsafe and "infested by terrorism", Trump appeared to place America's special relationship with Britain on the back burner as he waxed lyrical about "America's first and oldest ally". "France helped us secure our independence," he went on, saying the two countries had an "unbreakable bond" and calling Macron his "friend".

In bringing Trump to Paris, Macron has clearly stolen a march on the embattled Theresa May. London's offer of a state visit for Mr Trump met fierce criticism and warnings that he would be greeted by mass protests, and he decided to postpone it until next year.

The US leader was also quizzed about a friend named Jim, who he previously has claimed no longer frequents Paris any more because it was rife with Islamist terrorists.

Asked about his previous disparaging comments, he said: "It's going to be just fine because you have a great president. "I think is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. He's a tough president. I really have the feeling that you are you going have a very peaceful and beautiful Paris. I'm coming back," he beamed.

After a bumpy start to their relationship, notably their now notorious muscular handshake, the two leaders clearly clicked this time. "Emmanuel, nice to see you. This is so beautiful," the US president told Macron as they met at the Hotel des Invalides.