Macron says Trump’s remarks about his marriage do not merit a response

Seoul: French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that mocking remarks by United States President Donald Trump about his marriage did not deserve a reply, describing them as neither elegant nor up to standard.

Macron made the comments during a visit to Seoul, where he was accompanied by his wife Brigitte Macron. Speaking to reporters, he said, So I am not going to respond to them — they do not merit a response.

He added that attention should instead remain on efforts aimed at reducing tensions in the Middle East and securing a ceasefire. Macron said the priority should be to work towards de-escalation, while also criticising the wider tone of recent public exchanges.

There is too much talk, and it's all over the place.

We all need stability, calm, a return to peace — this isn't a show!

Trump had made the remarks on Wednesday at a private lunch while criticising NATO allies for not joining the war against Iran. During those comments, he mocked Macron and his wife, imitated a French accent, and said Macron’s wife treats him extremely badly and that the French president was still recovering from the right to the jaw.

In a video that was briefly posted on the White House YouTube channel before access was blocked, Trump said, We didn't need them, but I asked anyway. He then referred to Macron directly and repeated the comment about his wife, before recounting what he said was a conversation about support in the Gulf.

And I said, 'Emmanuel, we'd love to have some help in the Gulf even though we're setting records on knocking out bad people and knocking out ballistic missiles. We'd love to have some help. If you could, could you please send ships immediately,'

Trump then mimicked what he presented as Macron’s reply in a French accent.

'No no no, we cannot do that, Donald. We can do that after the war is won,'

I said, 'No no, I don't need after the war is won Emmanuel,'

Trump went on to criticise the transatlantic alliance, saying, So I learned about NATO — NATO won't be there if we ever have the big one, you know what I mean by the big one. He did not elaborate further. He also called NATO a paper tiger.

The remarks came after several days of strains linked to US-Israeli strikes on Iran and disagreements over NATO. On Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States is going to have to reexamine its relationship with NATO once the war against Iran has concluded.

Trump’s latest comments drew criticism in France. Yael Braun-Pivet, president of France’s lower house of parliament, told Franceinfo that the remarks were not appropriate at a time of major international crisis.

Honestly, it's not up to par.

We are currently discussing the future of the world. Right now in Iran, this is having consequences for the lives of millions of people, people are dying on the battlefield, and we have a president who is laughing, who is mocking others.

Manuel Bompard, coordinator of the hard-left France Unbowed party and a frequent critic of Macron, also defended the French president.

You are aware of the extent of my disagreements with the president, but for Donald Trump to speak to him like that and to speak of his wife in such a manner — I find that absolutely unacceptable.

Conservative French daily Le Figaro described the episode as another controversial outburst from Donald Trump.

Trump’s reference to recovering from the right to the jaw appeared to allude to a May 2025 news video from a trip to Vietnam that seemed to show Brigitte Macron shoving the French president’s face. Macron later rejected that interpretation as part of a disinformation campaign. At the time, he denied any domestic dispute and said they were joking as we often do.