Donald Trump appeared to snub French President Emmanuel Macron on his arrival at the White House, failing to greet him personally and instead leaving him to be welcomed by White House Chief of Protocol Monica Crowley.
Footage showed Macron stepping out of a black car, expecting a presidential welcome, but Trump was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the French leader was directed inside by Crowley, a move that raised eyebrows among diplomatic circles.
Macron Perched on Desk During Oval Office Call
Further adding to the awkwardness, images showed Macron crammed onto the corner of Trump’s Oval Office desk during a high-stakes Zoom call with world leaders. Meanwhile, Trump sat comfortably in the center, emphasizing his dominance in the meeting.
The optics fueled speculation that Trump was intentionally downplaying Macron’s visit, particularly as European leaders scramble to convince the U.S. president to maintain support for Ukraine.
But during a press briefing in the Oval Office, both leaders appeared cordial and spoke to each other in a friendly manner. At one point, Trump expressed his admiration for French, calling it “the most beautiful language.”
However, it was also clear that stark policy differences, particularly regarding Ukraine, remained.
Macron at one point directly challenged Donald Trump’s statements on European support for Ukraine during their Oval Office talks on Monday, interrupting him mid-sentence to correct what he described as a misrepresentation of the facts.
The tense exchange highlighted the friction between the two leaders, even as they maintained a friendly tone. The meeting took place against the backdrop of Trump’s repeated claims—sometimes misleading—about Europe’s role in funding Ukraine’s war effort.
Heated Exchange Over Ukraine’s Financial Support
As Trump made his case for a new deal to use Ukraine’s mineral revenues as back-payment for U.S. assistance, he argued that Europe was simply lending money to Ukraine, ensuring it would be repaid.
“Just so you understand, Europe is loaning the money to Ukraine. They’re getting their money back,” Trump said, emphasizing what he saw as an imbalance in U.S. aid.
Macron quickly interjected, reaching over to grab Trump’s arm.
“No, in fact, to be frank, we paid. We paid 60% of the total effort. It was like the US: loans, guarantees, grants,” Macron countered. “We have $230 billion in frozen assets in Europe, Russian assets. But this is not collateral of a loan because it is not our belonging. So they are frozen.”
European Leaders Urge Trump to Stand Up to Putin
Before arriving in Washington, Macron had vowed to push back against Trump’s shifting stance on Russia, warning that bending to Vladimir Putin would be a mistake.
“I will tell him: Deep down, you cannot be weak in the face of President Putin. It’s not who you are, it’s not in your interest,” Macron declared in a social media Q&A session ahead of the trip.
Trump’s criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and claims that Ukraine started the war have sent shockwaves across Europe, heightening fears that he could strike a deal with Moscow without Kyiv’s involvement.
Trump Warns of World War III
In a press conference from the Oval Office, Trump described the Russia-Ukraine conflict as a “rough war” and warned that it could escalate into a Third World War, saying, “You can make up the money, but you can’t make up lives.”
He also voiced support for NATO but argued it was only effective “if used properly,” leaving ambiguity over the U.S. commitment to the alliance.
UK’s Keir Starmer Joins the Diplomatic Push
Macron’s trip is just the beginning of a European diplomatic push to influence Trump’s stance on Ukraine. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to visit the White House on Thursday, following Macron’s efforts.
Starmer previewed his message, saying, “We must keep dialing up economic pressure to get Putin to a point where he is ready not just to talk but to make concessions.”
His office later clarified that Starmer believed Trump had “changed the global conversation” on Ukraine “for the better.”
Europe Prepares for Trump-Putin Summit
Trump’s abrupt foreign policy shift has left European leaders scrambling to maintain a united front against Russian aggression.
The Biden administration previously sought to isolate Moscow, but Trump reversed course with a recent 90-minute call with Putin. Russian officials have already begun preparing for a potential Trump-Putin summit, raising concerns that Ukraine could be sidelined in future peace negotiations.
With European leaders pushing for more military and financial support for Ukraine, the question remains: Will Trump listen, or will he forge ahead with his own deal?
