It’s no secret that President Trump has had a difficult time operating on the global stage in the comparatively short time that he has been in office. He has found few allies in his quest to “Make America Great Again,” no matter the cost.
One of the world leaders who has, despite the issues with the Trump administration, sought to forge a tenuous connection with the current U.S. commander-in-chief, is French President Emmanuel Macron. Macron himself is not ideologically aligned with the president, but he has reached out to him, even still, through such means as inviting him to Bastille Day celebrations in France last year. (It’s that trip that has been said to have inspired the president to seek to host a domestic military parade.)
Macron and his wife Brigitte were, in turn, the first couple to be hosted by the Trump administration for a state visit, coming over to the United States this week.
As a part of his visit, despite the best efforts from the president to cast the two of them as getting along just fine, the French president delivered a message to the U.S. Congress in which he essentially lambasted the Trump administration over its incessant commitment to isolationism. The Trump administration is devoted to one man and one man alone — Donald Trump — and that situation is poised to impact the global order significantly.
In his Wednesday address to Congress, Macron commented as follows of the situation:
‘The 21st century has brought a series of new threats and new challenges that our ancestors might have never imagined. We can build the 21st century world order based on a new breed multilateralism, based on a more effective, accountable, and results-oriented multilateralism. This requires more than ever the United States involvement as your role was decisive for creating and safeguarding this free world. The United States is the one who invented this multilateralism. You are the one who has to help now to preserve and reinvent it.’
Macron also pointedly defended both the Iran Nuclear Deal and the Paris Climate Accord, both of which the president has gone after. In a symbolic middle finger to the environment, the president moved to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Accord last year.
In the face of that, Macron commented that he is “sure one day, the U.S. will come back and join the Paris agreement.”
The French president’s address comes after Trump had touted Macron’s visit on Twitter, taking to the social media platform as he so loves to do.
Wednesday morning, the president wrote:
‘Busy day planned. Looking forward to watching President Macron of France address a Joint Session of Congress today. This is a great honor and seldom allowed to be done… he will be GREAT!’
So, did the president get Macron’s message? Only time will tell, although he has not proven keen on accepting criticism or counsel from essentially anyone.
Meanwhile, the president continues to post away on Twitter, commemorating Macron’s visit to the United States after praising him ahead of his speech by praising the first lady’s handling of the Tuesday night state dinner featuring Macron and his wife as guests.
He also wrote some fake gibberish about the Arizona election which was not even close to a ‘big win’.
Congratulations to Republican Debbie Lesko on her big win in the Special Election for Arizona House seat. Debbie will do a Great Job! Press is so silent.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 25, 2018
He also took to Twitter to show people he ‘has friends’.
Looking forward to my meeting with Tim Cook of Apple. We will be talking about many things, including how the U.S. has been treated unfairly for many years, by many countries, on trade.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 25, 2018
Donald got smoked by Macron and is surely pouting in the White House like a small child.
Featured Image via Alex Wong/Getty Images
