THE NFL’S BLITZ ON TRUMP Franc, friendly slap at Le Donald
After two days of hearty handshakes and pecks on the cheek, French President Emmanuel Macron soundly rejected Trumpism during a Wednesday speech before a joint session of Congress.
Macron issued a full-throated defense of the Paris climate accord, and vowed to honor the existing Iran nuclear deal — both of which President Trump has rejected as part of his America-first foreign policy.
“The United States is the one who invented this multilateralism,” Macron said. “You are the one now who has to preserve and reinvent it.”
Among the issues on which Macron politely but pointedly broke ranks on the final day of his three-day US visit was the international climate-change accord forged in his country in 2015.
“Let us face it: There is no ‘Planet B,’ ” Macron said in support of the Paris Agreement, from which Trump withdrew the United States in June 2017.
“I’m sure one day, the United States will come back and join the Paris Agreement,” Macron said. “Let us work together in order to make our planet great again!”
Macron also vowed that — at least in lieu of a viable alternative — France would honor the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal, which Trump has blasted as “insane” and “ridiculous.”
Still, Macron remained open to negotiating a new nuclear deal — as Trump wants — and proclaimed, “Iran shall never possess any nuclear weapons. Not now, not in five years, not
in 10 years — never.”
Democratic lawmakers were quick to piggyback on Macron’s rebuke of Trumpism — which came just a day after the two presidents palled around at the White House, exchanging traditional French cheekpecks and engaging in playful banter before the press.
“Macron seduced Trump and the GOP with all the hugs and kisses,” tweeted Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.). “[Macron’s] message is to ditch authoritarianism and the Alt-Right and stand up for strong democracy and human rights.”
After the speech, Macron visited the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial with frequent Trump critic Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.).
Macron later posted on Twitter a video of the two sharing a warm hug. During the 32-second clip, Macron is heard saying, “Thanks for everything.”
Prior to Macron’s speech, Trump tweeted he was “looking forward to watching . . . he will be GREAT!”
As of Wednesday evening, Trump had not publicly reacted to the speech.