6mo ago

Macron responds to Trump's inauguration by urging Europe to "wake up"

www.newsweek.com /macron-trump-inauguration-europe-defense-ukraine-2017894

Summary

French President Emmanuel Macron urged Europe to "wake up" and strengthen its defense in response to Donald Trump's second-term inauguration.

Highlighting potential U.S. policy shifts, including reduced support for Ukraine and a military pivot to the Pacific, Macron emphasized Europe's need to reduce reliance on U.S. security.

He called for increased European military spending, robust aid to Ukraine, and guarantees for its security post-war.

Macron’s remarks underscore concerns about U.S. disengagement and aim to prompt Europe to play a larger role in global security.

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Macron referred to expected changes in Washington's foreign policy, citing the need to reduce reliance on the United States for security.
As an American, I also urge Europe to reduce its reliance on the US, for security or anything else. You're going to want to insulate yourselves as much as possible from my unbelievably stupid, and potentially very dangerous country.
- I feel for you. People just voted in power kind of asshats their grandparents fought a war against.
  
  This is what gets me. I remember the war stories my grandparents told, I remember the nightmares my grandfathers had. These boomers are throwing away a country their PARENTS fought for, to people their PARENTS fought against. It only took one fucking generation to brainwash them.
  
  WW2 - Democratic America and Communist Russia, joining together to fight Fascist Europe
  whatever this shit is - Fascist Russia and Fascist America scheming over how they'll divide the world.
  
  It's really not th same at all, but good fear mongering.
- As a Canadian I urge the same for Canada.
- I'll go a step further. Do you have any idea how wet Trump would get about invading Europe?
We're at day 2. Europe sat on its hands with a wait and see attitude. Meanwhile, In Washington, Trumps allies were throwing hands into seig heil gestures...
Europe needs to prepare for war, if Donny's date with Putin doesn't result in Putin fucking off, then no one is going to stop Russia, but Europe.
- if Donny's date with Putin doesn't result in Putin fucking off
  Does anyone realistically think Trump being elected would do anything but further play into Putin's hands?
  
  Republicans.
Shame, but i have to agree with macron on this one.
- That is true, depressing and funny at the same time somehow
Should have thought of that when he blocked the socialist plurality from choosing their prime minister, forcing again a right wing clown.
I surely hope the French can resist le pen
Wasn't he also one of the first European leaders to congratulate Trump on his victory?
- Strategically, this was probably the right move. At that point, the results were in. We can't change what happened, only where we go from here. Kissing his ass is a case of Tragedy of the Commons.
- The word "diplomacy" has its roots in Latin from thousands of years ago
  It's a fairly basic concept
Don't be fooled. Nothing that's happening in the US shocks him.
He's expressing a logic of block against block to defend the interests of the French ultra-rich (Arnault, Bettencourt, Drahi, Saade, Bolloré..)
And in his vertical conception of politics, France must naturally lead the European bloc, and he must naturally lead France.
- He's not shocked but he is preparing. Europe's planned defense against Russian imperialism has traditionally counted upon the USA to assist Europe. There's a much greater chance of that not happening should Putin attempt to project force westward. Europe needs to plan on moving away from their traditionally closer toes to the USA
Says the sun king.
True but Macron shouldn't be a leader either
- Not the same ballpark
  
  Of course not
So is he going for the hypocrisy world record, does he think we're all idiots with no memory of his tenure in government, or is this just a ploy to enrich his buddies in the MIC?
I'm gonna go with D: all of the above.
Macron?
- MaCorn
  
  I don't remember eating MaCorn
It's probably the first time that guy say someting inteligent in all his life.
Says the dude actively pushing us towards the exact same path.
- Apparently you can't spell Le Penn, or tell the difference between her and Macron.
  Macron no more pushes France and EU towards the Trump Nazi intolerance narcissist path than Biden did. Like Biden Macron is trying to prevent it. Problem is Biden failed.
  While for now Macron has been successful.
  
  Macron's last two governments (the current one and the previous one) were formed with an agreement with the RN. It's the only thing keeping him in power right now.
  Macron personally has had a worrying amount of comments towards minorities, former colonies, women, LGBTQ people and such.
  Members of his current government have links to the far right and Christian conservatives. (Like Darmanin or Retailleau). The previous government was also filled with pro forced birth, reactionaries, racists, homophobic people. Most of them millionaires.
  Macron's policies have massively increased inequality in France, our education system and healthcare are in shambles, ecology is barely an afterthought.
  So no, Macron is NOT fighting the far right, you could argue on semantics about actively helping them (like he's not financially or physically helping them), but all of his policies, ministers and actions have tipped the balance pretty far right. And he's massively responsible for it.
  
  Not really though? He's using his position as the alternative to Le Pen in order to push extremely unpopular measures, which is absolutely the reason for Le Pen's popularity.
  For that reason, I absolutely agree that he (and other politicians using the same strategy) is no different to Biden
  
  So when his minister of education said that there was an "islamo-leftism" problem in French universities, that was Lepen's fault? What about when his interior minister told Lepen that he fault she was getting a bit too soft on immigration? Or when Macron himself said, about two weeks ago, that African countries should thank France for all it did to them? Or when he told us that the left was as dangerous as the far-right?
  I could go on for pages
  
  Macron no more pushes France and EU towards the Trump Nazi intolerance narcissist path than Biden did.
  Exactly, Macron or Starmer or Scholz is pushing Europe just as much towards far right as Biden did with his lack of populist economic policies.
  Sorry brother but you aren't going to lib yourself out of this problem. It's going to have to be at least social democracy (not third way but actual strengthening of trade unions and taxing the rich) or fascism and war.
  
  people insulted the french 20 years ago for being obstinent, arrogant, and pointlessly contrary. French hostility towards America in general was something Americans would mock,
  Turns out, the French knew what was up and were probably better prepared for this eventuality than any other of Americas Allies.

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