The zero fanfare welcome for Pompeo, a Trump loyalist, at the presidential Elysee Palace signalled how Macron’s government was already looking ahead to the Biden era.

Macron’s office described Pompeo’s stop as a “courtesy” visit. The US State Department said in a statement that Pompeo and Macron had discussed “significant threats to global security, efforts to counter violent extremism, Iran’s destabilising behaviour and Hezbollah’s malign influence in Lebanon”.

It added that Pompeo had also stressed the importance of the transatlantic alliance, Nato unity and countering China’s increasing global influence.

Macron slams media coverage of France’s position on Islamic extremism

Before meeting Macron, Pompeo laid a bouquet of red, white and blue flowers at a memorial to victims of terrorism at a Paris landmark, the Hotel des Invalides.

From Paris, Pompeo travelled on to Turkey, where he will meet religious leaders in Istanbul but not government officials.

Senior State Department officials said the lack of official meetings in Turkey was because of scheduling issues during the brief stop. They said meetings had been sought but Turkish officials could not come to Istanbul from the capital of Ankara when Pompeo would be there.

The officials noted that Pompeo and his Turkish counterpart planned to see each other in early December at a meeting of Nato foreign ministers.

Pompeo will also visit Israeli settlements in the West Bank that have been avoided by previous secretaries of state.