The Independent
France has accused Donald Trump of a lack of “common decency” after the US president taunted Emmanuel Macron about his call for a European army.
In a flurry of early morning tweets on Tuesday, Mr Trump said the US saved Parisians from “learning German” during the Second World War, blasted “not fair” French tariffs on American wines, and goaded Mr Macron over his “very low” approval ratings.
“Emmanuel Macron suggests building its own army to protect Europe against the US, China and Russia,” Mr Trump tweeted. ”But it was Germany in World Wars One & Two – How did that work out for France? They were starting to learn German in Paris before the US came along. Pay for NATO or not!”
Trump stares at King of Morocco during Macron speech
On Wednesday, a French government spokesperson criticised Mr Trump’s decision to launch his tirade on the day France was mourning victims of the November 2015 terror attacks.
“We were commemorating the assassination of 130 of our compatriots three years ago in Paris and Saint-Denis, and so I will reply in English: ‘Common decency’ would have been appropriate,” Benjamin Griveaux said.
The spat underscores tensions between the once-friendly leaders and displayed Mr Trump’s irritation over criticism of how he acted in France over the weekend.
During a gathering of world leaders in Paris to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the First World War’s end, Mr Macron issued a stark warning about the dangers of nationalism, a political ideology Mr Trump – who was watching on – has recently said he represents.
“Patriotism is the exact opposite of nationalism. Nationalism is a betrayal of patriotism,” Mr Macron said, in what was seen as a thinly veiled swipe at the US president.
Mr Trump tweeted on Tuesday: “There is no country more Nationalist than France, very proud people-and rightfully so! MAKE FRANCE GREAT AGAIN!”
The White House said the presidential helicopter had been grounded by the weather and Mr Trump did not want to cause traffic jams with a hastily arranged motorcade.
Mr Trump contradicted this explanation on Tuesday, tweeting: “I suggested driving. Secret Service said NO, too far from airport and big Paris shutdown.”
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The US president complained his speech at another American military cemetery in the French capital’s suburbs the following day was “little reported”.
He received further criticism on Monday when he failed to visit Arlington National Cemetery, just a couple of miles from the White House, to mark Veterans Day.
