While the media has focused on French President Emmanuel Macron’s dismay with President Trump’s world view during the weekend Group of 20 economic confab, top White House officials are convinced that the two newest members of the world leadership stage are fast friends.
At the same time newspapers were reporting Macron’s concern that “our world has never been so divided,” officials on Air Force One were bragging on the relationship between the two.
“Their relationship is great,” said Trump Economic Council Director Gary Cohn.
Even on the divisive issue of climate change, Cohn said that the two presidents agree on the end goal, while disagreeing on how to better the planet.
“You know, Macron and the president have somewhat different views on how to achieve the end goal, but I think the end goal is the same. And they were debating how to achieve the end goal,” he said of the two during the Hamburg, Germany gathering.
His comments came at the president was traveling home on Air Force One.
Cohn noted that the duo had some private meetings, and he highlighted Macron’s early invitation to Trump to attend Bastille Day celebrations next week, which the president welcomed. It is also the 100th anniversary of the U.S. involvement in World War I.
Cohn said that in addition to attending military and security events, Trump anticipated some long private time with Macron.
“It’s going to have a couple official meetings mostly around, I would say, security and military meetings, as well as a long bilateral between the two,” said Cohn.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]
