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A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 25 april 2018

Trump, Macron make a show as best buds but tussle over Iran

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE and nuclear accord, he issued curtail weapons of mass two nations.” He thanked Iran’s activities in Yemen or
ZEKE MILLER a warning to Iran against destruction in North Korea the French leader for his Syria.
Associated Press restarting its nuclear pro- and Iran and act together “steadfast partnership” in He told The Associated
WASHINGTON (AP) — With gram, saying “they will on behalf of the planet. the recent missile strike in Press in an interview in New
exaggerated handshakes have bigger problems than That last was a reference response to the chemical York that if Trump with-
and a pair of kisses, Presi- they’ve ever had before.” to Macron’s work to revive attack in Syria. draws, Iran would “most
dent Donald Trump and At a joint White House news a U.S. role in the Paris cli- Macron said, “History is likely” abandon the deal as
French President Emman- conference, he appeared mate accord to fight glob- calling us. It is urging our well and would no longer
uel Macron professed a to be more in line with Ma- al warming, another inter- people to find the forti- be bound by its internation-
sunny, best-friends relation- cron’s push for a longer- national agreement Trump tude that has guided us in al obligations. That would
ship Tuesday, even as the term U.S. presence in Syria. has spurned. the most difficult of times. free Iran to resume enrich-
two allies strained to bridge Trump, who announced Differences aside, Trump France and with it, Europe, ment activity beyond the
differences over the Iran weeks ago that he would and Macron lavished and the United States have limits imposed by the 2015
nuclear agreement, Syria withdraw American troops, praise — and even a pair an appointment with his- accord.
and more. said Macron reinforced the of kisses — on each anoth- tory.” Later he placed a Macron told reporters that
Hosting Macron for the first President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, French Presi- wreath at the Tomb of the he and Trump would look
state visit of his administra- dent Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron, pose for Unknowns in Arlington Na- at the Iran deal “in a wider
tion, culminating in a lav- photographs as they arrive for a State Dinner at the White House tional Cemetery. regional context,” taking
ish dinner Tuesday night, in Washington, Tuesday, April 24, 2018. The social highlight of Ma- into account the situation
Trump remained firm in his Associated Press cron’s visit was Tuesday in Syria. “We have a com-
criticism of past and endur- night’s formal state dinner mon objective, we want to
ing American undertakings idea of a potential Iranian er Tuesday. at the White House. About make sure there’s no esca-
in Iran and elsewhere in takeover of territory liber- “It’s an honor to call you 150 guests were coming to lation and no nuclear pro-
the Middle East. But he ap- ated from the Islamic State my friend,” Trump said, dine on rack of lamb and liferation in the region. We
peared open to the French group. after predicting Macron nectarine tart and enjoy an now need to find the right
president’s pleas to main- “We’ll be coming home,” would be a historic leader after-dinner performance path forward,” Macron
tain U.S. involvement in Syr- Trump said, “but we want of France. by the Washington Nation- said.
ia — and expressed open- to leave a strong and last- In one light moment, al Opera. The previous eve- Trump suggested he was
ness to negotiating a new ing footprint.” Trump sought to demon- ning, the leaders and their open to “doing something”
agreement with Iran. Macron told Trump that to- strate some of the person- wives took a helicopter beyond the current Iran
As Trump weighs withdraw- gether the U.S. and France al chemistry he claimed. tour of Washington land- agreement as long as it
ing the U.S. from the Iran would defeat terrorism, The U.S. president brushed marks and had dinner at was done “strongly.”
something off Macron’s suit the Potomac River home On North Korea, Trump
jacket, saying, “We have a of George Washington in told Macron that North Ko-
very special relationship; in Mount Vernon, Virginia. rean leader Kim Jong Un
fact I’ll get that little piece As for substantive issues, wanted to meet “as soon
Paradise in the Caribbean of dandruff off. We have to one of Macron’s main ob- as possible.” The president,
make him perfect — he is jectives during his three- who once derided Kim as
perfect.” day visit to Washington “Little Rocket Man,” said he
The meetings followed a was to persuade Trump has been “very open” and
pomp-filled welcome cer- to stay in the Iran accord, “very honorable” so far.
emony on the South Lawn. which is aimed at restrict- Macron, who calls Trump
Highlights included a 21- ing Iran’s development of often, has emerged as
gun salute and Melania nuclear weapons. Trump is something of a “Trump
Trump’s wide-brim white skeptical of the pact’s ef- whisperer” at a time when
hat, which drew more fectiveness — “it’s insane, the American president’s
comments than all the rest it’s ridiculous,” he said Tues- relationships with other Eu-
of the pageantry. day — but he declined to ropean leaders are more
Trump said before an au- say whether he would with- strained. Trump, who at-
dience of U.S. soldiers and draw the U.S. by the May taches great importance
members of his Cabinet 12 deadline he has set. to the optics of pageantry
that the relationship he He reminded his French and ceremony, chose to
forged with Macron at the counterpart of what he honor Macron with the first
start of his presidency was sees as flaws in the agree- state visit of his administra-
SALES OFFICE +297 2801005 info@leventaruba.com a testament to the “endur- ment, which he said fails to tion as he woos the French
MOBILE +297 5927275 www.leventaruba.com ing friendship that binds our address ballistic missiles or president.q