Trump, his Jackie O, and their Parisian love-in with the Macrons
FAMOUS for naming a tower after himself, it was only right that Donald Trump should pay homage to the master. So it was that, last night, he came to admire the handiwork of Gustave Eiffel. The Eiffel Tower may be a Meccano set compared with the gold elevators of New York’s Trump Tower, but the view is rather more impressive.
Having flown to Paris ahead of today’s Bastille Day parade, the American President and his wife, Melania, had been invited to dinner by the French President, Emmanuel Macron, and his wife, Brigitte. And where better to take visiting tourists than the panoramic, Michelinstarred Jules Verne restaurant, halfway up the city’s bestknown landmark?
This famously pricey beauty spot (where the basic fivecourse set menu costs £170 a head and features dishes by celebrated French chef Alain Ducasse, including ‘pan-seared raspberry and apricot ice cream) had lost some of its ambience thanks to the presence of half the snipers in France on the surrounding rooftops.
But the world capital of romance seemed to be working its magic on Mr Trump. Earlier, he clasped the hand of 64-year- old Mme Macron after the formal state welcome and cooed: ‘ You’re in such good shape.’ Who says chivalry is dead?
The dinner rounded off a day of political hardball for the two leaders – and traditional sightseeing for the two First Ladies.
Touring the Cathedral of Notre Dame before a boat trip down the Seine, dressed in a long, red, closefitting Christian Dior ensemble avec sunglasses, Mrs Trump, 47, found herself compared to a previous US First Lady who had embraced the sights of Paris in much the same way. Jackie Kennedy also happened to be the last Catholic US First Lady, too. ‘Une vraie Jackie O,’ declared several websites. Praise indeed.
In contrast to the hysterical Leftwing abuse that followed Britain’s invitation to the Trumps this year, most of France wants the world’s most powerful couple to feel welcome in Paris. The latest opinion poll suggests 60 per cent support President Macron’s 11th-hour decision to invite Mr Trump, 71, ostensibly to attend today’s Bastille Day celebrations. Protests are decidedly muted.
Anti-Trump demonstrators had set up camp in the Place de la Republique and proclaimed it a No Trump Zone, which was fine given that he had no plans to go there anyway. There had been talk of a possible demonstration when Mr Trump went to pay his respects at the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte – a gesture which could be interpreted in a number of ways – but French police ensured he was undisturbed.
Given the latest scandal at home over his son’s links to murky Russians, Mr Trump seemed delighted to be out of the house. Before last night’s dinner, he held a press conference at the Elysee Palace where he swatted aside questions about Donald Trump Junior, calling him a ‘wonderful young man’ (at 39, the boy is actually the same age as President Macron). The whole Russian thing, he said, was just a media hoo-ha. Reminded of his not- so-long-ago remarks that Paris was a terroristfilled basket case, he replied: ‘It’s going to be fine because you’ve got a great leader. You’re going to have a beautiful and peaceful Paris. I’m coming back!’
BOTH presidents made much of the historic ties between their nations. President Trump’s repeated references to France as ‘ our oldest ally’ will have irked Foreign Office mandarins who used to enjoy hearing that remark reserved for Britain.
Instead, the US leader saluted ‘ a magnificent people with some of the most beautiful buildings in the world’, joined to the US by a ‘spirit of revolution and the fight for freedom’.
The old US insult about ‘ cheeseeating surrender monkeys’ can be consigned to la poubelle.
Meanwhile, just when the UK needs all the bilateral help it can get, our most important ally has been deterred from paying a state visit to Britain thanks to a campaign of puerile Left-wing insults and threats of violence. At this rate, we will soon find ourselves at the back of former President Obama’s famous ‘queue’ after all.
With only a couple of journalists from each nation permitted to ask questions, it was a pretty sterile press conference (no wonder Mr Trump finds France so agreeable; it would have been much feistier in London).
When a French reporter did ask Mr Trump if he was prepared to rethink his rejection of the Paris climate accord, he shrugged and said ‘something could happen’, adding: ‘If it
happens, that will be wonderful and if it doesn’t, that will be OK, too.’ Mr Macron said he had no wish to interfere in the politics of another nation. ‘What a good answer that is!’ purred Mr Trump.
His French accent needs a little work. He repeatedly seemed under the impression that M Macron was from Scotland, calling him ‘Mr McRon’, and expressed his pride at seeing the Stars and Stripes alongside the French ‘Try colour’.
But it would be no surprise if Mr Trump does indeed choose to come back for another inspection of Napoleon’s tomb and the rest long before he takes in Big Ben and Stonehenge.