Trump and French President-elect Emmanuel Macron already have a major disagreement


President Trump congratulated centrist Emmanuel Macron on his "big win" over far-right leader Marine Le Pen in Sunday's French presidential election, claiming: "I look very much forward to working with him!" There could already be tension between the two major world leaders, though, seeing as Macron recently invited American scientists to flee to France.
In the February video, Macron addressed U.S. scientists in English: "Please come to France, you are welcome," he urged. "It is your nation." Trump has notably threatened to withdraw America from the Paris agreement on curbing global climate change.
"I do know how your new president now has decided to jeopardize your budget, your initiatives, as he is extremely skeptical about climate change," Macron added in the clip. "I have no doubt about climate change and how committed we have to be regarding this issue."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
On Sunday, Macron reinforced the leadership role he intends for France to take. "Europe is waiting for us to defend the enlightenment," he said in his victory speech. "They are waiting for a new hope, a new humanism, for a safer world … Europe and the world are waiting for us. They are waiting for France to surprise them."
Approximately 80 percent of French voters hold negative views of President Trump, Politico reports. On Friday, Trump's Environmental Protection Agency dismissed at least five scientists on the agency's Board of Science Counselors, including an expert on handling hazardous waste, a natural resource sociologist who studies how communities deal with environmental shocks, and an environmental economist.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
AI is creating a luxury housing renaissance in San Francisco
Under the Radar Luxury homes in the city can range from $7 million to above $20 million
-
How carbon credits could help and hurt the climate
The explainer The credits could be allowing polluters to continue polluting
-
5 tips for building a healthy skincare routine for tweens and teens
The Week Recommends Social media is pushing overly elaborate routines for young skin
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidents
The Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
Senate advances GOP bill that costs more, cuts more
Speed Read The bill would make giant cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, leaving 11.8 million fewer people with health coverage
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custody
Speed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami
-
GOP races to revise megabill after Senate rulings
Speed Read A Senate parliamentarian ruled that several changes to Medicaid included in Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" were not permissible
-
Supreme Court lets states ax Planned Parenthood funds
Speed Read The court ruled that Planned Parenthood cannot sue South Carolina over the state's effort to deny it funding
-
Trump plans Iran talks, insists nuke threat gone
Speed Read 'The war is done' and 'we destroyed the nuclear,' said President Trump
-
Trump embraces NATO after budget vow, charm offensive
Speed Read The president reversed course on his longstanding skepticism of the trans-Atlantic military alliance
-
Trump judge pick told DOJ to defy courts, lawyer says
Speed Read Emil Bove, a top Justice Department official nominated by Trump for a lifetime seat, stands accused of encouraging government lawyers to mislead the courts and defy judicial orders