President Donald Trump ridiculed French President Emanuel Macron after a contentious visit to Paris in which his nationalist vision was rebuked by his host.
Trump first delivered a broadside against Macron’s call for a new European military force independent of NATO so that the continent could secure its own military needs outside of U.S. influence. The president tweeted a similar attack at Macron before landing in Paris days earlier and the two discussed the military matter in a bilateral meeting Saturday.
Emmanuel Macron suggests building its own army to protect Europe against the U.S., China and Russia. But it was Germany in World Wars One & Two – How did that work out for France? They were starting to learn German in Paris before the U.S. came along. Pay for NATO or not!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 13, 2018
The president then attacked France for alleged tariffs on U.S. wine but settled on blasting Macron’s low domestic approval ratings and targeting his Sunday speech decrying nationalism. The two world leaders previously had a close relationship.
On Trade, France makes excellent wine, but so does the U.S. The problem is that France makes it very hard for the U.S. to sell its wines into France, and charges big Tariffs, whereas the U.S. makes it easy for French wines, and charges very small Tariffs. Not fair, must change!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 13, 2018
The problem is that Emmanuel suffers from a very low Approval Rating in France, 26%, and an unemployment rate of almost 10%. He was just trying to get onto another subject. By the way, there is no country more Nationalist than France, very proud people-and rightfully so!……..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 13, 2018
Macron delivered a speech at the centennial ceremony honoring the end of World War I saying nationalism is the “betrayal of patriotism” and calling for a rejection of “selfishness of nations only looking after their own interests. Because patriotism is exactly the opposite of nationalism.”
The speech was widely regarded as a shot at Trump who recently on the 2018 midterm campaign trail identified himself as a nationalist. The president tweeted in response to Macron a twist on his familiar campaign slogan:
……MAKE FRANCE GREAT AGAIN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 13, 2018