Fresh diplomatic tensions have erupted between the United States and France after US President Donald Trump ridiculed French leader Emmanuel Macron and his wife, drawing sharp condemnation from across the French political spectrum. The controversial remarks, made during a private lunch on Wednesday, came as Trump criticised NATO allies for their stance on the ongoing conflict involving Iran, further straining transatlantic relations. Trump, in comments later circulated via a video briefly posted on the White House YouTube channel, mocked Macron’s leadership and made disparaging claims about his marriage.
“I call up France, Macron, whose wife treats him extremely badly. Still recovering from the right to the jaw,” Trump said. The US president was referencing a 2025 video involving Brigitte Macron, which the French leader had previously dismissed as a misrepresented moment, insisting there was no “domestic dispute” and that they were “joking as we often do.” Trump went further, mimicking a French accent as he recounted a conversation over military support.
“And I said, ‘Emmanuel, we’d love to have some help in the Gulf even though we’re setting records on knocking out bad people and knocking out ballistic missiles. We’d love to have some help. If you could, could you please send ships immediately?’ he said. He then mimics a French accent to give Macron’s alleged answer: ‘No no no, we cannot do that, Donald. We can do that after the war is won,'” he said. “I said, ‘No, no, I don’t need after the war is won, Emmanuel,'” Trump added.
“So I learned about NATO – NATO won’t be there if we ever have the big one, you know what I mean by the big one.” He also described NATO as a “paper tiger,” reinforcing a pattern of criticism from his administration toward the alliance. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had earlier indicated Washington “is going to have to reexamine” its relationship with NATO after the Iran conflict.
In France, the remarks triggered immediate backlash, with political leaders condemning both the tone and timing of Trump’s comments. Speaker of the French National Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet, said: “Honestly, it’s not up to par.” “We are currently discussing the future of the world. Right now in Iran, this is having consequences for the lives of millions of people; people are dying on the battlefield, and we have a president who is laughing, who is mocking others,” she said.
Even Macron’s critics rallied in his defence. Manuel Bompard described the remarks as unacceptable. “You are aware of the extent of my disagreements with the president, but for Donald Trump to speak to him like that and to speak of his wife in such a manner – I find that absolutely unacceptable,” he said. Responding during an official trip to South Korea, Macron dismissed the comments, saying they were “neither elegant nor up to standard.”
