France says Trump tweets lack ‘decency’
Spokesperson indicates the tweets occurred on the third anniversary of terrorist attacks that left 130 dead
PARIS — The French government, making its first official response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s scathing personal Twitter attack against President Emmanuel Macron, took the high road Wednesday.
Instead of responding in a tit-for-tat, a government spokesperson said the tweets lacked “common decency” because they came on the third anniversary of terrorist attacks in and near Paris that left 130 people dead.
Benjamin Griveaux, told reporters in a weekly briefing: “Yesterday was Nov. 13, when we commemorate the murder of 130 citizens three years ago in Paris and StDenis. So I will reply in English: Common decency would have been the appropriate thing.”
The attacks by the Islamic State were the most lethal in the country since the Second World War. Ceremonies were held across Paris and in St-Denis; some were attended by senior officials like Prime Minister Edouard Philippe.
Trump posted the rapid-fire series of tweets two days after returning from France, where he had attended ceremonies hosted by Macron commemorating the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War.
Responding in part to the French president’s sharp critique of nationalism, Trump highlighted the French leader’s low approval rating and accused him of trying to “change the subject” to avoid talking about France’s unemployment levels, which have remained close to 10 per cent despite economic and labour overhauls.
Trump also seized on previously misreported information about an interview Macron gave last week suggesting that Europe needed its own army to defend itself.
In fact, Macron said in the interview that France and Europe had to defend themselves better from cyberattacks originating in Russia, China and even the United States. He spoke later about Europe needing its own army.
Many French people were taken aback by the tone of Trump’s comments — the French newspaper Le Monde called them “violent tweets.”
Macron’s office was quoted on the French network BFMTV as saying that the tweets were for the consumption of Trump’s domestic audience, but officials offered no further comment.
However, some people observed that Trump was simply treating Macron the way he has treated other allies who had hosted him.
Among them are Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whom Trump derided just after the Group of 7 summit meeting as “very dishonest and weak” and making “false statements.”
He has also expressed negative sentiments toward German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Theresa May.