During a recent state visit to the United States, it looked as if French President Emmanuel Macron and President Trump were the best of friends. But it looks like their friendship has hit a rough patch after President Trump’s hard-line stance on international trade.
According to The Daily Wire:
On Thursday, prior to the trade summit of the G-7 countries in Canada, and on the anniversary of D-Day, French President Emmanuel Macron decided to make himself feel important, attacking President Trump by asserting “Nobody is forever,” and blustering that the six G-7 countries other than America comprised a bigger market than America.
The United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom make up the G-7 countries.
When reporters asked whether the problem with Trump was that he “didn’t care about being isolated,” Macron huffed, “You say the U.S. president doesn’t care at all. Maybe, but nobody is forever. The six countries of the G7 without the United States are a bigger market taken together than the American market.”
Macron, in what looked like a swipe at the United States, opined, “There will be no world hegemony if we know how to organize ourselves. And we don’t want there to be one. … Maybe the American president doesn’t care about being isolated today, but we don’t mind being six, if need be. Because these six represent values, represent an economic market, and more than anything, represent a real force at the international level today.”
President Macron seems to forget the military might of the United States is what keeps Europe safe from Russian aggression. We will see if the relationship dynamic truly changes at this weekends G-7 summit in Canda. But even before the summit has started the war of words began with a strong response from Trump.
Please tell Prime Minister Trudeau and President Macron that they are charging the U.S. massive tariffs and create non-monetary barriers. The EU trade surplus with the U.S. is $151 Billion, and Canada keeps our farmers and others out. Look forward to seeing them tomorrow.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 7, 2018
