Macron fires back at Trump over provocative remarks about French territory
French President Emmanuel Macron (photo: Getty Images)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon, in the North Atlantic, is French territory, so US President Donald Trump's claims over the islands have no basis whatsoever, President Emmanuel Macron says.
Macron publicly pushes back against Trump
The French president was responding to a map posted by US President Donald Trump that showed Saint Pierre and Miquelon marked with the US flag.
"There is nothing to discuss here," Macron said after arriving in the archipelago.
The French president also said Paris would not keep repeating obvious facts simply because of the "strange ideas" or statements of other politicians.
"We are not going to repeat this every morning just because someone has strange ideas or says strange things," Macron said firmly.
The French leader is expected to spend two days in Saint Pierre and Miquelon.
The visit has a clear geopolitical dimension, as the archipelago lies just a few kilometers off Canada's coast and not far from Greenland, which has recently become an important strategic center in the Arctic.
Macron to meet Canadian prime minister
On September 20, Macron will meet Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Saint Pierre. It will be the first visit by a Canadian prime minister to the archipelago.
"This sends a strong signal," the French president said.
His remarks came amid Trump's statements about US interests in the region. The US president has repeatedly spoken about the possibility of annexing Canada, while Washington and Ottawa remain locked in a tense trade dispute.
Macron also commented separately on the situation surrounding Greenland. The day before, Trump reached a security agreement with Denmark concerning the autonomous territory, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
"Danish sovereignty is respected, international law is respected. Anything that contributes to de-escalation is a good thing," Macron said.
Recently, Macron announced large-scale military drills to protect Ukraine.
It also emerged that France is preparing a plan to protect against Russian drones and cyberattacks.
