President Donald Trump stirred fresh controversy after making remarks about French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife during a private lunch on Wednesday, where he also voiced frustration over NATO allies’ reluctance to support the ongoing conflict against Iran.
Speaking in a video that briefly appeared on the White House YouTube channel before it was taken down, Trump suggested that the United States had carried much of the burden alone. He said he had reached out to France despite believing their support was not essential.
During the exchange, Trump made a personal comment about Macron’s marriage, referencing a past viral video from May 2025 that appeared to show Brigitte Macron pushing her husband’s face during an այց to Vietnam. Macron had earlier dismissed the footage as misleading and part of a wider disinformation effort.
Trump went on to describe a conversation he claimed to have had with the French leader, saying he requested immediate naval support in the Gulf. According to him, Macron declined, suggesting France could only step in after the conflict had ended. Trump responded by saying such help would no longer be necessary at that stage.
The remarks quickly shifted to a broader criticism of NATO, with Trump expressing doubts about the alliance’s reliability in a major global conflict. He suggested that member nations might not stand together in what he described as a serious, large-scale war.
His comments add to a growing pattern of criticism directed at NATO since his return to office. Earlier, Secretary of State Marco Rubio had also hinted that Washington may reassess its relationship with the alliance once the situation involving Iran is resolved.
The comments are likely to deepen tensions between the United States and its European allies at a time when cooperation remains critical on the global stage.
