By Ben Kerrigan-
President Trump and Emmanuel Macron met at a World War 1 Armistice Day commemoration event on Sunday. Emmanuel Macron acted cosily with Donald Trump a she attempted to grab the president’s arm outside the President’s official residence Élysée Palace. Inside the palace, the French President touched Donald Trump’s leg multiple times as he attempted the difficult task of justifying his call for a European Army. The call went down badly with The White House, leading to the outright criticism by the EU, who referred to it as an “insult” .
Trump looked very displeased, as Mr Macron responded: “I do agree… But it’s unfair to have the European security today being assured just by the United States… I do believe that we need more European capacities – more European defense – in order to take this part of the burden.” Mr Macron was well composed, smiling as he patted the U.S president on the knee.
President Macron of France had just suggested that Europe build its own military in order to protect itself from the U.S, China and Russia. Trump responded saying ”Very insulting, but perhaps Europe should first pay its fair share of NATO, which the U.S. subsidizes greatly!
Whether the EU has a right to build its own army is a question of politics. Announcing the idea was tantamount to adding hot stew to a pot of boiling water on high, and not expecting the alarm to go off. Talk of army building can make the mind race fast, even if every country has its own army.
Macron’s call for an EU army made in the interview with Europe 1, had called for the EU to create its own army, “to protect us against China, Russia and even the United States of America,” . He indicated Trump’s intention to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty as his reason for making the call.
Macron, in the interview with Europe 1, had called for the EU to create its own army, “to protect us against China, Russia and even the United States of America,” citing Trump’s intention to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty.
The relationship between the two leaders has been on an all time low since the last G7 summit when Trump announced he would impose new tariffs on Canada, Mexico and the EU. It appeared much improved only six weeks earlier when the French president enjoyed his successful visit to Washington. The row has soured relations between the two world leaders, who were said to have enjoyed”bromance” when Mr Macron visited Washington DC in April.
Macron’s comments about an EU army were not complimentary to Trump, making the American leader’s distaste of it completely understandable. However, if EU countries feel their security is under threat and are not confident of support from the United States in the event of attack, the desire for their own army is not as confrontational as it appears.
The American president would at least want those countries to raise their financial contributions to military and defense before talking of the creation of an army. That works fine if EU leaders understand and agree to it, but announcing an EU army clearly did not g.o down well with Trump