French president urges U.S. to reject fear and isolationism

WASHINGTON – French President Emmanuel Macron urged the United States to reject fear and isolationism Wednesday and instead embrace the historic bond between the two countries to launch a new era of 21st-century leadership and security.

Macron told a joint meeting of Congress, “the American and French people have had a rendezvous with freedom.”

Speaking almost directly to President Donald Trump, Macron quickly turned to the top issues of Syria, the Iran nuclear deal, free trade and the Paris accord on climate change — topics where he and Trump disagree — as he urged the United States not to retreat from its historic and military role in world affairs.

“We are living in a time of anger and fear” because of “global threats,” Macron told lawmakers. “You can play with fears and angers for a time, but they do not construct anything.”

With a nod to great American leaders, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt, he warned against withdrawing from the world in fear.

“We have two possible ways ahead. We can choose isolationism, withdrawal and nationalism. It can be tempting to us as a temporary remedy to our fears,” he said. “But closing the door to the world will not stop the evolution of the world.”

At times during the nearly hourlong speech, delivered in English, he took turns playing into his friendly relationship with Trump, while nudging, forcefully at times, against their differences.

He reiterated French support for U.S. sanctions on North Korea toward the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, and said of Iran, “Our objective is clear: Iran shall never possess any nuclear weapons.”

But he warned against simply abandoning the multination Iran nuclear deal, as Trump has considered, promoting a “more comprehensive deal” he has been discussing with White House officials during his U.S. visit.