
President Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron enjoyed an unlikely double date with their wives at George Washington's house as the French president's visit to the US kicked off on Monday.

The leaders and their spouses hopped on a helicopter bound for Mount Vernon, Washington's historic riverside home, for a private dinner before the leaders sat down for talks.

On the weighty agenda were topics including security, trade and the Iran nuclear deal.

Strike a pose: US First Lady Melania Trump (left) turns to ruffle her hair and French First Lady Brigitte Macron (right) pouts for the cameras. Their leader husbands President Donald Trump (center left) and French president Emmanuel Macron (center right) look less at home in front of the lens as the group pose at Mount Vernon, Virginia

President Trump and Melania stare straight into the camera (left) while Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte look away

The Macrons (left) hold hands as they stroll from the helicopter onto the estate. The Trumps follow, walking further apart

Emmanuel Macron (second from left) held his wife Brigitte's hand. President Trump did the same with his wife Melania

Emmanuel Macron (second from left) held his wife Brigitte's hand. President Trump did the same with his wife Melania

The unlikely foursome make their way across the plush lawns of the Mount Vernon estate ahead of a private dinner together

The Trumps and Macrons pose for a photo in front of Mount Vernon, the home of President George Washington

The US and French presidents pose with their spouses in front of Mount Vernon beside their respective flags

Brigitte Macron (right) giggles with Melania Trump as the group prepare to pose up for the cameras outside Mount Vernon

The two world leaders and their spouses pose in front of Mount Vernon as Macron's visit got underway in the US

The two world leaders and their spouses pose in front of Mount Vernon as Macron's visit got underway in the US

President Trump gives photographers a wave as the two couples pose in front of the majestic Mount Vernon estate

President Trump (center) looks approvingly at his wife Melania as Emmanuel Macron waves to photographers

Brigitte Macron and Melania Trump (second and third from left) momentarily break away from their husbands, who appear deep in conversation

President Trump and his wife Melania walk ahead of Emmanuel Macron and his spouse Brigitte at Mount Vernon. Both couples hol hands as they step across the plush lawn

President Trump (center) rides in a golf cart beside Emmanuel Macron as they arrive at the Mount Vernon estate for dinner

Melania Trump (wearing black) and Brigitte Macron adjust their hair as they are led through the Mount Vernon estate

A harp player was on hand to play for the world leaders and their spouses during their tour of Mount Vernon in Virginia

A helicopter arriving at Mount Vernon, where the US president hosted a private dinner for Emmanuel Macron and his wife

Brigitte and Emmanuel Macron step off their helicopter ahead of dinner with the Trumps at the luxurious Virginia venue

Macron's pomp-filled three-day state visit to Washington underscored the importance that both sides attach to the relationship.

The French president, who calls Trump often, has emerged as something of a 'Trump whisperer' at a time when the American president's relationships with other European leaders are more strained.

Trump, who attaches great importance to the optics of pageantry and ceremony, chose to honor Macron with the first state visit of his administration as he woos the French president.

'This is a great honor and I think a very important state visit given the moment of our current environment,' Macron said after his plane landed at a U.S. military base near Washington.

For all their camaraderie, Macron and Trump disagree on some fundamental issues, including the multinational nuclear deal, which is aimed at restricting Iran's development of nuclear weapons.

Trump, skeptical of the pact's effectiveness, has been eager to pull out as a May 12 deadline nears.

The Trumps greet visiting French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron at the White House in Washington

The group enjoyed a chat on the South Lawn of the White House before making their way to Mount Vernon by helicopter

The group enjoyed a chat on the South Lawn of the White House before making their way to Mount Vernon by helicopter

Emmanuel Macron looked deep in conversation with the US president as they strolled out of the White House in Washington

The double date begins: Presidents Trump and Macron walk ahead of their wives Brigitte and Melania as they leave the White House

Emmanuel Macron looked deep in conversation with the US president as they strolled out of the White House in Washington. Their spouses followed close behind

Emmanuel Macron looked deep in conversation with the US president as they strolled out of the White House in Washington. Brigitte and Melania, who looked like they were enjoying each other's company, followed close behind

The French President and his wife gesticulate as they chat with President Trump and his wife Melania after exiting the White House

Emmanuel Macron looked deep in conversation with the US president as they strolled out of the White House in Washington with their wives

Melania Trump and Brigitte Macron focussed on navigating the White House's South Lawn in very high heels while their husbands chatted

The Macrons smile at President Trump as they make their way across the South Lawn at the White House, while Melania walks slightly ahead (left)

The group made their way through the White House grounds to begin some tree-planting on the South Lawn

The group smiled widely as they walked across the White House lawn for the tree-planting ceremony in Washington

Melania Trump and Brigitte Macron (behind on left) held hands affectionately as Emmanuel Macron reached for a spade to begin a tree-planting ceremony in the grounds of the White House

President Trump and Emmanuel Macron set to work with their spades, planting a tree from Belleau Wood where thousands of US marines died during World War One

President Trump and Emmanuel Macron set to work with their spades, planting a tree from Belleau Wood where thousands of US marines died during World War One

Emmanuel Macron gestures with two fingers while talking with President Trump, holding his wife Brigitte's hand as he chats

Emmanuel Macron lays an affectionate hand on President Trump's back during the tree-planting ceremony at the White House

Macron says he is not satisfied with the situation in Iran and thinks the agreement is imperfect, but he has argued for the U.S. sticking with the deal on the grounds that there is not yet a 'Plan B.'

The Trumps and Macrons helped plant a tree on the White House grounds together before boarding Trump's Marine One helicopter for a scenic tour of monuments built in the capital city designed by French-born Pierre L'Enfant as they flew south to Mount Vernon, the first U.S. president's home along the Potomac River.

The young oak is an environmentally friendly gift to the White House from Macron, and one that also bears historical significance. It sprouted at a World War I site in France, the Battle of Belleau Wood, that became part of U.S. Marine Corps lore.

After Trump's helicopter landed at Mount Vernon, the two presidents, each holding his wife's hand, walked a short distance and posed for pictures before they boarded golf carts that ferried them to the front door of Washington's plantation house.

The couples were led on a brief outdoor tour before they entered the pale yellow building for dinner of Dover sole, pasta stuffed with lemon ricotta, and chocolate souffle and cherry vanilla ice cream.

Trump declared the dinner 'really fantastic' before returning to the White House.

The foursome pose up beside the helicopter they arrived in after enjoying a private dinner at Mount Vernon

The foursome pose up beside the helicopter they arrived in after enjoying a private dinner at Mount Vernon

The foursome pose up beside the helicopter they arrived in after enjoying a private dinner at Mount Vernon

President Trump and Emmanuel Macron, followed by their wives, arrive back at the White House after a helicopter ride from Mount Vernon

President Trump and Emmanuel Macron step off their golf cart together after enjoying a private dinner at Mount Vernon

President Trump steps off a golf cart after his private dinner with the French president and his wife at Mount Vernon

President Trump and Emmanuel Macron after their private dinner at Mount Vernon. The French president pulls a bemused expression

Melania Trump (left) and Brigitte Macron join their husbands after the foursome enjoyed a private dinner together at Mount Vernon

Melania Trump (left) and Brigitte Macron join their husbands after the foursome enjoyed a private dinner together at Mount Vernon

He ended his first year in office without receiving a foreign leader on a state visit, the first president in nearly 100 years to fail to do so.

He was Macron's guest last July at the annual Bastille Day military parade in the center of Paris.

Macron and his wife also took Trump and America's first lady on a tour of Napoleon's tomb and whisked them up in the Eiffel Tower for dinner overlooking the City of Light.

Macron will be welcomed back to the White House on Tuesday with a traditional arrival ceremony featuring nearly 500 members of the U.S. military and a booming 21-gun salute.

The state visit also offers Macron his first Oval Office sit-down with Trump and a joint White House news conference. There is also a State Department lunch hosted by Vice President Mike Pence.

The French president's White House day will be capped Tuesday night with a state dinner, the highest social tribute a president bestows on an ally and partner.

Melania Trump played an active role in every detail of the visit, said White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Shoulder-length 'do: Brigitte Macron wore her voluminous blonde hair loose around her shoulders as she arrived with her husband in Maryland for their state visit with the Trumps

Brigitte donned a double-breasted pink coat by Louis Vuitton for her trip to Washington, where she enjoyed a private dinner with the Trumps

The first lady settled on a state dinner menu of rack of lamb and nectarine tart, along with after-dinner entertainment provided by the Washington National Opera for about 150 guests.

On Monday she released details of the glitzy affair being planned to dazzle Macron and his wife Brigitte.

Dinner will be served in the State Dining Room, which will feature more than 2,500 stems of white sweet pea flowers and nearly 1,000 stems of white lilac.

Separately, more than 1,200 branches of cherry blossoms will adorn the majestic Cross Hall.

The first lady opted for a cream-and-gold color scheme, and will use a mix of china services from the presidencies of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

The State Dining Room at the White House set for the first State Dinner that President Donald Trump will host as president with French President Emmanuel Macron in Washington

A peek inside the majestic Mount Vernon in Virginia, where the Trumps and Macrons enjoyed a private dinner together

State dinner tickets are highly sought after by Washington's political and business elite.

A few of those expected to attend include: Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund and a former top French government official; House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis.; Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and his wife, Louise Linton; Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Mike Pompeo, Trump's choice to be the next secretary of state.

In a break with tradition, Trump has invited no congressional Democrats or journalists, said a White House official who was not authorized to discuss the arrangements publicly.

But some Democrats did make the cut, including Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, whose office confirmed his attendance.

On Monday Melania shared pictures of her preparation for the Trump family's first state dinner with France

The First Lady shared pictures of herself beaming as she spoke with her team and finished the final touches for the event

'Spent yesterday with my team checking on the final details of our first State Dinner with France,' she excitedly tweeted