No French politician ever lost votes by bashing the Americans. And let’s be honest, no American politician ever lost votes by bashing the French.

Au contraire, as we might say. Even the ability to speak French is regarded as slightly suspect, as candidates from Thomas Jefferson to John Kerry and Mitt Romney can attest. So, on one level, the spat between President Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron is nothing new. Both men might reasonably expect to profit domestically by insulting each other — Macron with a certain sneaky elegance, Trump with his trademark bluster.