The incident was only resolved when U.S. President Grover Cleveland secured his release by threatening to sever diplomatic ties between the U.S. and France.

[5] Additionally, in 1882-1883 a Malagasy diplomatic delegation visited the U.S. in order to gain support against French designs on the island.

They visited Washington D.C., Philadelphia, New York City, Boston, and Salem, addressing not only government officials but merchants who had substantial trade interests in Madagascar.

[6] Also in that year, Malagasy President Philibert Tsiranana visited the U.S. on a two-week tour, and received an official state welcome on the White House South Lawn.

Traditionally warm relations suffered considerably following the 1972 and 1975 coups, when Madagascar expelled the U.S. ambassador, closed the NASA tracking station, pursued closer relationships with the USSR, Cuba, and North Korea, and nationalized two U.S. oil companies.

[8] Recent U.S. assistance has focused on census and family planning programs, conservation of Madagascar's remarkable biodiversity, private sector development, agriculture, democracy and governance initiatives; and media training.

Madagascar became the first country with a Millennium Challenge Corporation compact when it signed an agreement worth $110 million in April 2005.

However, in June 2015, a new degradation of the political climate in Antananarivo prompted the U.S. State Department to voice its concern and call for a 'national dialogue' in the country.