A day that began with the Donald Trump leveling furious accusations at Emmanuel Macron ended with the French president peering into the eyes of the first lady and clasping her hand on a famous darkened London Street.
Macron’s two-handed grip of the Melania Trump’s hand came at the tail end of a day that featured a series of cinematic events: Trump’s bitter complaints about Macron saying NATO suffered ‘brain death,’ an attempt at rapprochement where Trump talked down a ‘minor dispute’ before offering up ‘some nice ISIS fighters’ to his counterpart, and a rendezvous in Trump’s armored limousine.
But for the French President who traveled stag to London for events to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the powerful alliance Trump said his country needed more than anyone, it was ‘All’s Well that Ends Well’ by day’s end.
French President Emmanuel Macron hitched a ride with the Trumps aboard ‘the Beast,’ according to a pool reporter who was there, after a day filled with tensions
After a reception with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, Trump offered Macron a ride in the Beast, his famous Cadillac equipped with armor, bullet-proof glass, and run-flat tires, en route to 10 Downing Street for a reception hosted by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
The French president accepted – although Trump had to cool his heels outdoors while Macron and other dignitaries staged photo-ops on their way inside.
Macron, 41, made up for the chill in the air and in the day’s earlier encounters with the warm handshake he gave to the first lady, 49, who wore a yellow Valentino cape to the event. Trump was pictured looking on during the greeting.
It was a far gentler handshake than the 25-second power grip Macon shared with Donald Trump during their 2018 meeting for Trump’s visit to mark Bastille Day in Paris, a year after the group shared a couple’s dinner at the Eiffel Tower along with Macron’s wife, Brigitte.
RIGHT THIS WAY: President Donald Trump and his NATO counterparts were gathered in London Tuesday to mark the alliance’s 70th birthday amid deep tensions as spats between leaders expose a lack of unity that risks undermining military organization’s credibility
Defense Commitment: Trump gave Macron a ride in his government armored limo
During a tete-a-tete, Trump told Macron: ‘Would you like some nice ISIS fighters?’ as he pushed to have France and other nations accept captured terrorists from their own countries
President Donald Trump with his wife, first lady Melania Trump are seen together with Britain’s Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall during a reception at Buckingham Palace to mark 70 years of the NATO Alliance, hosted by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, in London, Britain, December 3, 2019
First lady Melania Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are seen during a reception at Buckingham Palace to mark 70 years of the NATO Alliance, hosted by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, in London, Britain, December 3, 2019
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive for a reception at Downing Street hosted by Britian’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson, ahead of the NATO summit in Watford, in London, Britain, December 3, 2019
CAPED CRUSADE: Macron spoke to the first lady after a day filled with tense exchanges between he and President Trump
BON SOIR: President Trump looked on during the greeting
Macron and the President Trump shared a much shorter grip in London during their afternoon tete-a-tete, where Trump said they had a ‘minor dispute’ but have ‘had a fairly long relationship and a very good one.’
It was another story in the morning, when Trump unloaded on Macron for his NATO criticisms, which cited uncertainty attributed in part to Trump’s own attacks on the treaty organization.
Trump even ripped the French economy (which is growing at only 0.3 per cent), and brought up the angry yellow vest protests against the government. He called Macron’s remarks ‘nasty.’
It culminated with Trump pressing Macron on a key political dispute when they met man-to-man: ‘Would you like some nice ISIS fighters? I can give them to you,’ he offered.
‘Let’s be serious,’ shot back Macron, who declared that the defeat of the terror group in Syria was ‘not yet done.’