Angela Merkel and Theresa May are 'losers', Trump told Macron in 2017

Former US President Donald Trump mocked both the UK PM Theresa May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel during France’s annual Bastille Day parade in June 2017. In a televised interview with BBC, Gerard Araud, who is the former French ambassador to the US, said that Trump made the comment while he was a guest of honour for the national celebrations. Araud recalled Trump asking French President Emmanuel Macron “What do you think of May and Merkel”, but before Macron had time to answer, the then US President said, “They are losers”. 

The former ambassador revealed that Macron had said nothing in response to Trump’s remark. The former President had been invited to the Bastille Day Celebrations that year because it marked 100 years since the US entered the First World War alongside the allies. Trump’s visit also came just a few months after both Trump and Macron were sworn-in to office. 

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While speaking to the media outlet, Araud described Trump and Macron as “two alpha males” who were “sizing up each other” when the pair first met. He described Trump’s handshake as “tearing off the shoulder of the person he was meeting”. He even added that Macron responded as another “alpha male”, describing a “primitive jungle seen with two alpha males meeting”. 

Macron was warned of Trump

Further, Francois Hollande, who is the former French President, recalled he warned Macron of dealing with US President before the pair’s first meeting. Hollande said that she had told Macron not to expect anything from Trump. “Do not think you'll be able to change his mind. Don't think that it's possible to turn him or seduce him,” she told the French President. 

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Hollande also revealed that Trump had called him in his first days in office in January 2017 and asked for advice on his appointment at White House. Hollande informed that Trump had said, “Mr President, you’ve got a lot of experience with the United States, well could you give me some advice for putting together my team at the White House?”. Hollande then added that at first Trump was just being courteous, however, he added that it was “pretty outrageous”. “Imagine I phone Obama and said ‘You know France well, who should I appoint as an adviser?” Hollande said. 

It is worth noting that Macron’s relationship with Trump deteriorated shortly after the pair first met, due to disagreements over policy. The two leaders disagreed over climate change policy, tariffs and Iran’s nuclear deal. Back in December 2019, Trump had also called Macron “vert, very nasty”, after the French President criticised the US for withdrawing troops from Syria. 

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