Macron Rebukes Trump's Mockery, Calls Remarks 'Not Elegant'
The exchange underscores pressure on allies to back U.S. operations in the Gulf.
Overview
- Trump, during a private lunch Wednesday, mocked Emmanuel Macron, pressed for French ships in the Gulf, and called NATO a 'paper tiger'.
- He invoked a 2025 viral clip of Brigitte Macron and said the French leader was 'still recovering from a punch to the jaw'.
- A video of Trump's remarks was posted briefly on the White House YouTube channel before being blocked.
- Macron, speaking in Seoul on Thursday, said the comments were 'not elegant' and did not merit a response.
- The episode extends Trump's push for greater allied burden‑sharing in Middle East missions and includes his charge that NATO partners act like cowards.