France's foreign ministers, beginning with Choiseul, have followed the general idea since the Seven Years' War that the independence of Britain's North American colonies would be good for France and bad for Britain, and furthermore that French attempts to recover parts of New France would be detrimental to that cause.

When war broke out in 1775, the Comte de Vergennes, the current Foreign Minister, had outlined a series of proposals that led to secret French and also Spanish support of Congress, and some preparations for the possibility of war, including expansion of their navies.

Vergennes does not think open participation in the war is diplomatically or politically feasible until Washington's army demonstrates its strength and ability to gain military victories without significant assistance.

To further the aim of French participation in the war, Vergennes closely monitors news from North America and London, and works to remove impediments to Spanish participation in the war.

Vergennes had gone so far as to propose war to King Louis XVI in August 1776, but news of Howe's capture of New York City had scuttled that plan.