Trump lacked 'common decency' with Twitter tirade on Paris attacks anniversary, says French government
The US president lashed out at his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron聽on Tuesday, saying he has a "very low approval rating".
Thursday 15 November 2018 00:06, UK
The French government has accused Donald Trump of lacking "common decency" after his Twitter tirade on the third anniversary of the Paris terror attacks.
The US president mocked France's record in the First and Second World Wars and lashed out at his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, saying he had a "very low approval rating".
Responding to Mr Trump's outburst, French government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux said: "We were commemorating the assassination of 130 of our compatriots three years ago in Paris and Saint-Denis, and so I will reply in English: 'Common decency' would have been appropriate."
His reaction is the strongest yet by the French government following Mr Trump's visit to France over the weekend.
During the visit, Mr Macron criticised nationalists during his Armistice Day speech, saying patriotism was different to nationalism.
Mr Trump said his French host was "just trying to get onto another subject" and there was "no country more Nationalist than France".
The US president dismissed Mr Macron's calls for a European army to protect against the US, Russia and China, claiming the French were starting to learn German in Paris before the US joined them as allies in the First World War.
He also attacked French wine tariffs, claiming Paris makes it hard for the US to sell its wines into France but it is easy vice versa.
Following talks with Mr Trump on Saturday, Mr Macron told CNN the defence row had been cleared up but he has not reacted publicly to the US president's Twitter outburst.
One of the French president's advisers on Tuesday dismissed Mr Trump's tweets as "written for Americans" and said relations between the two leaders were "not always easy but are enduring".
Mr Trump was heavily criticised for cancelling a visit to a US war cemetery in France on Saturday due to "bad weather".
Addressing the incident three days later he tweeted: "By the way, when the helicopter couldn't fly to the first cemetery in France because of almost zero visibility, I suggested driving.
"Secret Service said NO, too far from airport and big Paris shutdown.
"Speech next day at American Cemetery in pouring rain! Little reported-Fake News!"