Administration

Trump rips Macron for suggesting creation of ‘true European army’

President Trump on Tuesday morning again ripped French President Emmanuel Macron for proposing an army to protect Europe against China, Russia and the U.S.

“Emmanuel Macron suggests building its own army to protect Europe against the U.S., China and Russia,” Trump tweeted on Tuesday.

“But it was Germany in World Wars One & Two – How did that work out for France? They were starting to learn German in Paris before the U.S. came along,” he added. “Pay for NATO or not!” 

{mosads}Trump tweeted a similar sentiment last Friday, moments after he landed in Paris for a weekend trip commemorating the end of World War I. 

“President Macron of France has just suggested that Europe build its own military in order to protect itself from the U.S., China and Russia,” Trump tweeted at the time. “Very insulting, but perhaps Europe should first pay its fair share of NATO, which the U.S. subsidizes greatly!”

Trump continually hits U.S. allies over NATO spending, demanding that all countries up their defense spending to 2 percent of their gross domestic product. 

In a series of tweets on Monday, he said he told world leaders while in France that the U.S. “must be treated fairly” on trade and military funding.

Macron last week pushed for a “true, European army,” highlighting the potential threat of Russia, China and the U.S. as he said the continent needs “to defend itself better alone.”

“We must have a Europe that can defend itself on its own without relying only on the United States,” Macron said during a radio broadcast. The French president has warned that European nations can no longer rely on the U.S. to defend them, and his latest remarks came after Trump decided to pull out of a key 1987 nuclear treaty with Russia.

Macron in an apparent jab at Trump also decried nationalism as a “betrayal of patriotism” during Armistice Day remarks in Paris as the president looked on.

Trump has faced criticism for referring to himself as a nationalist.

–Updated at 8:10 a.m.