French President Emmanuel Macron took a moment from his address before a joint Congress Wednesday to thank a U.S. veteran who served in France during World War II.
“Since 1776, we, the American and French people, have had a rendezvous with freedom. And with it comes sacrifices. That is why we are very honored by the presence today of Robert Jackson a World War II veteran. Robert took part in the D-Dday landing. He fought for our freedom 74 years ago. Sir, on behalf of France, thank you. I bow to your courage and your devotion,” Macron said during his speech.
Macron: “We are very honored by the presence today of Robert Jackson a World War II veteran… Sir, on behalf of France, thank you” pic.twitter.com/H9IMwigTqf
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) April 25, 2018
The French leader also paid tribute to Alan Seeger, an American poet who enlisted in the ranks of the foreign legion to help France during World War I.
“He loved the cause of freedom,” Macron said about Seeger. “This young American would fight and die on Independence Day … not far from my home town after having written these words, ‘I had a rendezvous with death.'”
Macron said a statue commemorating Seeger stands in Paris.
“The strength of our bonds is the thoughts of our shared ideals. This is what united us in the first World war, and then in the second world war. This is what united us again during the era of the Stalinist threats,” Macron said. “And now we lean on that strength to fight against terrorist groups.”
