Only a day after French President Emmanuel Macron and President Trump were spotted embracing each other and declaring their friendship during Macron's first state visit, Macron made a speech at the House Chamber highlighting the many differences between himself and the President of the United States.
Macron brought up the importance of maintaining the Iran Deal, adding "we should not abandon it without having something...more substantial instead." Of course, Trump has long voiced his opposition to the current Iran Deal signed under former President Obama, threatening to completely abandon the deal altogether.
Macron's pointed criticism of Trump attitude of and position on the Iran Deal is a far cry from, what some have perceived as, the budding bromance exhibited between the two the day before.
Naturally, Macron went on to discuss environmental issues, referring to Trump rather recent decision to pull out of the Paris Climate Agreement, making the United States, Nicaragua, and Syria the only three countries not involved in the accord.
President Macron pointed out the negative effects that pollution and increase carbon dioxide emissions have on our planet, noting that this should be taken seriously because "there is no planet B." While the French leader is correct, the current U.S. Presidential administration collectively does not "believe" that climate change is a serious threat to the planet or even a real issue, to begin with.
In fact, the White House website has completely gotten rid of any mention of the term "climate change" altogether, falsely adding that carbon emissions have dropped "to their lowest level in 25 years."
Emmanuel Macron also emphasized the importance of free and fair trade, a clear dig towards Trump's recent comments about increasing steel tariffs, which would only end up hurting our allies more than his intended target, China.
Macron may be friendly and diplomatic, as any president should be, but he had made it clear that his relationship with Trump must be one based on policies and principles, rather than long handshakes and empty compliments.
