President Trump fired off a series of tweets yesterday criticising Emmanuel Macron’s leadership and the Paris climate agreement as activists took to the streets in a fourth weekend of violent anti-government protests. In one message the US leader said the 2015 climate accord was the reason behind the riots while in another he took a swipe at Mr Macron’s authority by claiming demonstrators had been chanting “we want Trump”. But foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian today hit back by telling Mr Trump not to meddle in French politics.
One tweet posted by Mr Trump said: “The Paris Agreement isn’t working out so well for Paris. Protests and riots all over France.
“People do not want to pay large sums of money, much to third world countries (that are questionably run), in order to maybe protect the environment. Chanting ‘We Want Trump!’ Love France.”
But Mr Le Drian said images televised in the United States showing protestors chanting Mr Trump’s name were actually filmed during the president’s visit to London in July.
He said: “The yellow vest demonstration was not protesting in English, as far as I know.”
And hitting back at Mr Trump’s claim over the Paris Agreement, the Frenchman said most Americans disagreed with the US leader over his decision to walk away from the climate accord.
Suggesting Mr Trump keep out of French affairs, he added: “I say to Donald Trump, and the President of the Republic tells him too: we do not take part in American debates, let us live our life in our country.”
Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron forged a close friendship following the pair’s first meeting at a Nato summit in 2017, but their relationship has soured in recent months.
The French leader travelled to Washington in April this year in a bid to convince his US counterpart to stick with the Iran nuclear deal.
But Mr Trump refused to budge and the Frenchman was forced to return to Paris empty handed.
In the past few months, Mr Trump has published a series of tweets criticising France’s climate and defence policies, as well as Mr Macron’s low approval rating.
And during President Trump’s visit to France last month he attacked what he described as “very insulting” plans to form a European army to protect the continent from the US, Russia and China.
This weekend saw further riots by the ’yellow vest’ movement as protestors in Paris wreaked havoc for the fourth weekend in a row, throwing stones, torching cars and vandalising shops and restaurants.
The demonstrations had initially begun in protest of a planned fuel tax hike but have since grown to represent a wider anti-government sentiment.
Mr Macron, who was elected in May 2017, was facing mounting criticism for not speaking in public in more than a week as violence worsened.
The Elysee Palace today confirmed he would will meet representatives of trade unions, employers’ organisations and associations of local elected officials tomorrow.