Macron seizes chance to show France can be leading US ally

THE Syria strikes gave Emmanuel Macron a chance to promote France as the leading US ally in Europe days before he becomes the first foreign leader to be hosted by Donald Trump on a state visit.

Mr Macron’s office released a photograph showing the president in the Jupiter command bunker under the Élysée Palace as he oversaw the strikes, flanked by Florence Parly, his defence minister, and military chiefs. Comparisons were immediately made with a photograph taken of Barack Obama in the White House situation room as Osama bin Laden was killed in a US military operation in 2011.

Mr Macron, who says he speaks “daily” to Mr Trump, discussed Syria with Vladimir Putin just hours before the strikes. Less than a year ago, Mr Macron warned the Russian president that the use of chemical weapons would be a red line leading to reprisals.

“I believe my red line was crossed,” he told Mr Putin in the call on Friday, according to Mr Macron’s advisers.

A French diplomatic source said: “Macron is positioning France as America’s most effective European ally while Angela Merkel is absorbed by domestic politics and Britain is preoccupied with Brexit.”

Before Mr Trump telegraphed his intention to strike Syria in a Twitter post, he called Mr Macron twice. Mr Trump’s failure to call Mrs May in the early stages was not lost on the French. After the strikes, they also noted that Mr Trump tweeted: “Thank you to France and to the United Kingdom.”

Mr Macron’s visit from April 23-25, reportedly organised at the insistence of Melania Trump, will include a working meeting at the White House, a joint press conference with Mr Trump and a state dinner.

Mr Trump also plans to invite Mr Macron and his wife Brigitte to dinner at Mount Vernon, George Washington’s plantation home in Virginia.