Donald Trump’s visit to France has just begun, and he’s already started things on awful terms with French President Emmanuel Macron.
As soon as Trump arrived, the president was tweeting his attacks. Calling Macron out for proposing a European military to protect France against the United States (which is completely reasonable considering how unhinged Trump is), Trump whined through his phone’s keyboard:
President Macron of France has just suggested that Europe build its own military in order to protect itself from the U.S., China and Russia. Very insulting, but perhaps Europe should first pay its fair share of NATO, which the U.S. subsidizes greatly!”
President Macron of France has just suggested that Europe build its own military in order to protect itself from the U.S., China and Russia. Very insulting, but perhaps Europe should first pay its fair share of NATO, which the U.S. subsidizes greatly!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 9, 2018
This, of course, could have been handled like a grown up during Trump’s scheduled meeting with Macron tomorrow morning at the Élysée Palace in Paris, but we all know that’s not how Trump rolls. Thanks to this tweet, the meeting will now start off on a tense, defensive note and prevent much progress from being made.
Trump is reacting to Macron’s comments from an interview a few days ago, in which the French president proposed a “real European army”as protection against “China, Russia and even the United States of America.” Macron had said:
When I see President Trump announcing that he’s quitting a major disarmament treaty which was formed after the 1980s euro-missile crisis that hit Europe, who is the main victim? Europe and its security.
We will not protect the Europeans unless we decide to have a true European army. We need a Europe which defends itself better alone, without just depending on the United States, in a more sovereign manner.”
Macron’s thoughts are not exclusive to France — many world leaders, after seeing how Trump runs things, have voiced opinions that they are not comfortable depending on the United States and even see it as a threat. Trump, of course, remains oblivious to how he has ruined the country and our relationships with the rest of the world.
Featured image via screen capture
