It was less than two months ago that — in the first meeting between the two men — Macron held on to Trump’s hand as the American president tried to pull away. Later that same day, Macron swerved away from Trump to shake hands with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other world leaders while Trump stood and waited to greet the French leader.
Macron later publicly explained that he had intended to send a signal to Trump, and the world, with the photo op. Trump usually likes to play the aggressor when it comes to the handshake game.
“I don’t let anything slide. That’s how one makes oneself respected,” said Macron, who won his election while promising to strengthen the European Union, a body that nationalist Trump advisers like Steve Bannon despise. During the race, Trump had signaled support for Macron’s opponent in the French election, far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen.
In early June, Macron responded to Trump decision to ditch the Paris Agreement on climate change, tweaking the U.S. president’s signature slogan. “Make our planet great again,” Macron said. And last week the Frenchman forcefully rebutted “narrow-minded nationalism,” an apparent jab at Trump.
But in late June, Macron invited Trump to come to Paris for Bastille Day (July 14), and Trump accepted. And then at the G-20, despite his strong words for Trump, Macron sidled up to the American during the group photo.
Trump will arrive in France on Thursday morning for a two-day visit that will serve as the next chapter in the complex and curious relationship between the two world leaders.
Full story at Yahoo News.
By Jon Ward and Olivier Knox.
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