This archive report was first published on 3 December 2019.
Tensions Rise as Trump and Macron Clash Over NATO's Future ¶
December 3, 2019
US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron engaged in a heated exchange over NATO's role in containing terrorism and its future vision, highlighting deep divisions within the alliance.
During a tense meeting at the NATO headquarters in London, Trump and Macron clashed over their differing views on the alliance's purpose and effectiveness in addressing global security threats.
Macron had previously described NATO as suffering from 'brain death,' a comment that Trump deemed 'very insulting' and 'very, very nasty.' Trump countered by saying that NATO served a 'great purpose' and that Macron's comments were 'unhelpful' to the alliance.
The exchange was part of a broader meeting between Trump and Macron, which also touched on issues such as trade, immigration, and the US relationship with Turkey.
Trump's visit to London comes as leaders across Europe struggle to balance the shared goal of combating the rising influence of global adversaries, including China, with containing other unpredictable members, including Turkey.
On Tuesday, Trump said that he was considering delaying reaching a deal in his protracted and economically damaging trade war with China until after the 2020 election.
Trump's defense of NATO against Macron's comments was a role reversal for the two leaders, with Trump previously being a disruptive force at NATO meetings and questioning the alliance's purpose.
Macron's comments were seen as an opportunity for him to assert French leadership in Europe, with Britain moving towards leaving the European Union and the German government enmeshed in its own political troubles.
Heather A. Conley, director of the Europe program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that Macron was 'seizing that moment, seeking to be disruptive in his own way, and so we will see how that works.'
Trump's visit to London also comes as he faces the possibility of impeachment, with the House Judiciary Committee set to question legal experts about whether there are grounds to impeach him for pressuring Ukraine to take actions that could help him in the 2020 election.
