It was only six weeks ago when President Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron grinned, laughed, and hugged their way through a state visit in D. C.
LA MALBAIE, Quebec, June 8 (Reuters) – It was only six weeks ago when U. S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron grinned, laughed, and hugged their way through a state visit in Washington, showing all the signs of two leaders with a genuine friendship.
But at the G7 summit in Canada, the physical bonhomie between the two leaders was pared back, signaling tensions that boiled over publicly just before the meeting.
Unable to persuade Trump to consider ways to stay in the Iran nuclear deal, and stung by U. S. tariffs on European steel and aluminum, Macron appeared to be recalibrating his approach to Trump.
G-7 Summit in Quebec, Canada
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G-7 Summit in Quebec, Canada
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G-7 Summit in Quebec, Canada
QUEBEC, CANADA – JUNE 08: (—-EDITORIAL USE ONLY MANDATORY CREDIT – ‚THIERRY QUENETTE / HANDOUT‘ – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS—-) (L-R) The President of the European Council Donald Tusk, British Prime Minister Theresa May, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, US President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, and the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker pose for a family photo during the G7 Summit in La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada 08 June 2018. (Photo by Handout / Thierry Quenette/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
QUEBEC, CANADA – JUNE 08: (—-EDITORIAL USE ONLY MANDATORY CREDIT – ‚ERIC BOLTE / HANDOUT‘ – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS—-) Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau (R) greets Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the G7 Leaders Summit in La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada 08 June 2018. (Photo by Handout / Eric Bolte/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
U. S. President Donald Trump meets with Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (not shown) during the G7 Summit in the Charlevoix town of La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada, June 8,2018. REUTERS/Christinne Muschi
Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May, Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel, U. S. President Donald Trump and Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pose during a family photo at the G7 Summit in the Charlevoix city of La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada, June 8,2018. REUTERS/Yves Herman
U. S. President Donald Trump meets with Canada?s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a bilateral meeting at the G7 Summit in Charlevoix, Quebec, Canada, June 8,2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis
U. S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with France’s President Emmanuel Macron during a bilateral meeting at the G7 Summit in Charlevoix, Quebec, Canada, June 8,2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis
U. S. National Security Adviser John Bolton watches as President Donald Trump meets with France’s President Emmanuel Macron during a bilateral meeting at the G7 Summit in Charlevoix, Quebec, Canada, June 8,2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis
U. S. President Donald Trump sits side by side with France’s President Emmanuel Macron during a bilateral meeting at the G7 Summit in Charlevoix, Quebec, Canada, June 8,2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis
QUEBEC, CANADA – JUNE 08: (—-EDITORIAL USE ONLY MANDATORY CREDIT – ‚ERIC BOLTE / HANDOUT‘ – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS—-) (L-R) British Prime Minister Theresa May, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau walk for the family portrait during the G7 Summit in La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada 08 June 2018. (Photo by Handout / Eric Bolte/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
QUEBEC, CANADA – JUNE 08: (—-EDITORIAL USE ONLY MANDATORY CREDIT – ‚ERIC BOLTE / HANDOUT‘ – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS—-) (L-R) The President of the European Council Donald Tusk, British Prime Minister Theresa May, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, US President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, and the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker pose for a family photo during the G7 Summit in La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada 08 June 2018. (Photo by Handout / Eric Bolte/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
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„I think Macron has had some very hard lessons in terms of how far flattery can get you,“ said Julie Smith, a former national security aide in the Obama administration.
Trump’s escalation of tensions with allies was „beyond shortsighted,“ said Heather Conley, a former U. S. State Department official in the George W. Bush administration.
„When we’re at war with our allies, if we need something, we don’t have them to turn to,“ said Conley, now with the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. „I think this is the part that the White House is underappreciating.“
Leading up to the G7 summit, Macron tweeted his displeasure with Trump over the tariffs, and Trump tweeted back, complaining about European trade measures.
But as cameras rolled, they downplayed the divisions. „We have little tests every once in a while when it comes to trade,“ Trump said, expressing optimism without details that „something is going to happen“ on that front.
TIGHT GRIP, TIGHT GRIN
The leaders were supposed to meet in the morning. But Trump was more than an hour delayed in leaving Washington, which meant the meeting had to be pushed back for the end of the day.
Trump pulled Macron aside for a quick chat on their way into the summit and Macron posted the pleasantries on Twitter.
When the two leaders finally met late in the day, Macron was first to reach out to shake Trump’s hand and the last to let go, gripping it so tight his fingers left white marks – a reprise of the long, exaggerated handshake that marked the first meeting between the two leaders last year.
The two leaders bonded after Macron invited Trump to Paris for the Bastille Day military parade.
