End of bromance

Donald Trump does not like anyone disagreeing with him or stealing the limelight at an international conglomeration of world leaders. He would put on a frown and, instead of sorting out any misunderstanding, take to tweets and very rude ones at that. The “bromance” he famously enjoyed with French President, Emmanuel Macron, is well and truly over. Macron’s spokesman accused Trump of lacking “common decency” after the US President blasted his French counterpart in a series of tweets following his visit to Paris. During a pointed speech at the Elysée Palace in Paris, Benjamin Griveaux took issue with the timing of Trump’s barbs, the same day the country marked the anniversary of the 2015 terror attacks in Paris which left 130 people dead. “I’ll answer you in two words about these tweets. We commemorated the assassination of 130 of our compatriots three years ago in Paris and Saint-denis,” he said.” So I will answer him in English; common decency would have been good.” Griveaux was responding to a barrage of tweets from Trump, in which he mocked President Macron’s low approval ratings, complained about France’s “unfair” trade policy on products including wine, and criticised France for its near defeat to Germany in both world wars. Trump’s broadsides against Macron came on the heels of the President’s controversyladen trip to France to mark the centenary of the armistice of World War I. Immediately after touching down in Paris on Friday evening, Trump tweeted his indignation over Macron’s recent call for a “real European army” and further bolstering of European security cooperation to “protect ourselves with respect to China, Russia and even the United States of America.” A senior French official accused Trump of taking Macron’s words “out of context” and clarified the language Macron used, saying that the French leader did not mean he wanted a European army but better coordination and funding of Europe’s already-existing resources. Trump’s tweets also appeared to be in response to criticism he received during his trip to Paris, both from Macron and the press. The French leader appeared to take a direct jab at Trump’s “America First” policy during his keynote speech at the armistice commemorations at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on Sunday, in which he said, “patriotism is the exact opposite of nationalism.” Trump was also criticised for failing to attend a moment of silence at the Aisne-marne American Cemetery and memorial at Belleau, located around 100 kilometres northeast of Paris, due to adverse weather conditions. In another tweet, Trump wrote: “By the way, when the helicopter couldn’t fly to the first cemetery in France because of almost zero visibility, I suggested driving. Secret Service said NO, too far from airport & big Paris shutdown. Speech next day at American Cemetery in the pouring rain! Little reported-fake News!”