French President Emmanuel Macron has been on quite a tear these days. His fellow European leaders always knew the young statesman was an outspoken and ambitious man. But the previous week or so has been an especially testy time for the Frenchman. Macron is in a hurry to make history and cement his place in it.
On November 6, Macron took to French radio and talked about a concept that has become his cause celebre: the establishment of a continent-wide European army. The idea is not a novel one – European politicians have discussed the plausibility of a joint European military force in years past, particularly when foreign relations are in rough waters. Except this time, Macron’s suggestion got a rise out of the president of the United States, who took Macron’s argument for European autonomy as disrespect. President Trump retaliated to the slight as he usually does, through Twitter, taking a shot at the French leader’s horrible poll numbers and for being an ungrateful ally. While Trump and Macron eventually patched things up to a misunderstanding, the French president escalated the battle the next day by describing “nationalism” (one of Trump’s favorite words) to the assembled audience of dignitaries as “a betrayal of patriotism.”
If Macron was concerned Trump would negatively interpret his remarks during World War I commemoration ceremonies, he didn’t show it. This weekend, he traveled to Berlin and addressed the Bundestag about the imperative of France and Germany forming a solid European core that would essentially save civilization itself. In Macron’s telling, Europe could very well repeat history and descend to the gates of hell if the Germans and French (and indeed, all Europeans) fail to take their rightful place on the world stage. The not-so-subtle message: the U.S. under Trump is losing its moral authority in the world, so us Europeans better step up.
It seemed like only yesterday when Trump and Macron were in the middle of a budding friendship, with Trump flicking dust off of the French leader’s suit jacket like an newly wed couple. If the relationship between the two men looked like a celebrity romance in 2017, that bind has frayed significantly this year. Trump and Macron are no longer palling around like buddies – if they were ever buddies to begin with. They are increasingly the bosses of two different worldviews; one boss holds a deep respect and appreciation for multilateralism, institutionalism, and continuing the world order while the other is grounded in a might-is-right mentality.
Trump is a nationalist who brags about it and doesn’t apologize for being one. Macron is a political centrist and traditional European who shivers at a single mention of the word. Given such contrasting ideologies, it’s a wonder Trump and Macron didn’t throw down sooner.
The U.S.-French alliance has always been characterized as unique. It’s not hyperbole to portray it as a love-hate relationship. While France is indeed America’s oldest ally, the alliance has been defined by decades of personality disputes, profound policy differences, and a cold stuffiness that borders at times on disrespect.
In the end, the alliance survives. It will survive this mini war of words, too. But Trump and Macron certainly aren’t making it easy.
Daniel DePetris (@DanDePetris) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog. His opinions are his own.
