Emmanuel Macron addresses students during an event for the 'Lafayette Fellowship' scholarship program in New York on September 23, 2025. LUDOVIC MARIN/AFPThroughout the history of France-US relations, invoking the memory of Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, has typically signaled a pivotal moment. The stated goal: to welcome 30 outstanding American master's students to France each year, with tailor-made academic programs. The underlying objective: to expand French soft power − especially as the bond between Washington and Paris is visibly weakening. "This fellowship is based on trust and youth," Macron said on Tuesday, September 23, from Villa Albertine, the French cultural center in New York.