The video was aired in the Department of Housing and Urban Development offices.
Trust the French to not take any nonsense
This moment captures Emmanuel Macron firmly grabbing Donald Trump’s arm while fact-checking him directly.
During his visit to Washington for talks at the White House, the French President discussed the war in Ukraine with Trump.
When asked whether the U.S. should be reimbursed for its financial aid to Ukraine, Macron countered by emphasizing that Ukraine must first receive full compensation for the war before any other considerations.
Trump then interjected, claiming that Europe is “loaning money to Ukraine” and will eventually be “getting their money back,” unlike the U.S., which he believes will not.
In a striking moment, Macron swiftly grabbed Trump’s arm and corrected him, stating, “No, in fact. To be frank, we paid. We paid 60 percent of the total effort.”
He emphasized that European nations, like the U.S., contributed “real money” through a mix of “loans, guarantees, and grants,” directly supporting Ukraine’s war effort.
Macron explained to Trump that frozen Russian assets in Europe could potentially compensate Europe if Russia agreed during peace negotiations.
An irritated Trump then told journalists, “If you believe that, it’s okay with me. But they get their money back, we don’t, and now we do.”
Macron quickly interjected, correcting him, “In fact, we both do.”
During his White House visit, Macron stated that a truce between Ukraine and Russia could be reached in the coming weeks. However, he emphasized that any peace deal must “not be a surrender of Ukraine” and should include security guarantees.
Trump, meanwhile, pushed for an immediate ceasefire and insisted that the financial burden of securing peace should fall primarily on European nations rather than the U.S.
