The warm welcome reserved for Trump in Paris at the Bastille Day celebrations on July 14 seems to confirm that the new president of the Republic is playing it safe. In doing so, Macron made sure to mention the privileged – even friendly – relationship that has united the two countries for decades. And he evoked the United States’ key role in supporting France during World War I.
So, we can assume the French president intended to play on Trump’s emotions to steer him toward the slippery slope of the Paris climate agreement, reinforcing its importance, while taking care not to overdo it. In this way, he invited Trump to reflect on the consequences of his withdrawing the U.S. from the deal.
By avoiding the anti-Trump card and inviting Trump to be his honored guest in Paris, Emmanuel Macron has demonstrated that, despite being France’s youngest ever president, he displays a certain maturity and sees himself as a bit of a strategist.
Regardless of his personal opinions of Trump, Macron remained the perfect gentleman, knowing full well that the entire world — particularly America — was watching his every move.
The world could do well by adopting his attitude. Despite Trump’s unpopularity, France has every interest in keeping the U.S. close, like the ally it’s always been. And Macron knows it only too well.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.