There was this super awkward moment between Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron during a press conference. The two didn’t quite see eye-to-eye when it came to Ukraine.
Trump’s been pretty outspoken about how Europe’s handling the situation with Russia, and it got awkward when he called Ukraine’s president, Zelensky, a ‘dictator’. Zelensky didn’t take that lightly.
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He fired back that Trump’s living in a world full of misinformation and under Moscow’s thumb. Despite the tension, both sides seem to think peace talks could happen soon.
Macron responds to Trump’s question on US compensation for Ukraine
Macron was in Washington for talks, and during a press conference, a journalist asked him if the U.S. should be compensated for the money it’s given to Ukraine. Macron had a pretty straightforward answer: Ukraine should be fully compensated first.
Trump didn’t agree and argued that Europe is “loaning” money to Ukraine and will get it back, something he didn’t think would happen with the U.S.
Macron corrects Trump on Europe’s role in Ukraine funding
Macron stepped in to correct Trump, saying, “No, in fact. To be frank, we paid. We paid 60 percent of the total effort.” He was making it clear that Europe was putting in real money — not just loans.
Then, he added, “In fact we both do,” reinforcing that Europe and the U.S. were both doing their part. Trump, however, didn’t take kindly to being corrected and tried to brush it off. “If you believe that, it’s okay with me,” Trump said, but it was clear Macron wasn’t backing down.
Body language reveals the tension between them
A body language expert weighed in on what was happening between Trump and Macron. The expert noted that Trump was trying to maintain control with his hand gestures.
He started with his hands together, which shows an open, thoughtful attitude, but then moved into the “steeple” gesture, a classic power move.
Trump didn’t seem too bothered when Macron corrected him, but his body language suggested otherwise. Even though Trump tried to play it cool, the expert said he was clearly struggling to stay composed.
Macron stays calm and collected throughout
Macron, on the other hand, stayed pretty chill throughout the whole thing.He wasn’t fazed by Trump’s reaction and just kept calmly correcting him.
He made sure to stress that both Europe and the U.S. had contributed significantly to Ukraine’s funding.
Social media reacts to the tense exchange
Of course, the whole moment didn’t go unnoticed online. People had a lot to say.
One user tweeted, “A memorable moment in contrasting leadership communication. It’s refreshing to see candid comments rather than meaningless platitudes or cautious timidity.”
Another added, “Trump, embarrassed, ‘and if you believe that, it’s okay with me.’ He just couldn’t say, I stand corrected, could he?”
A third user commented, “It’s okay to be wrong and be corrected. Accept it! We all have tons of moments like that. But. 40% from the U.S. is still too much.”
Trump’s concerns over the cost of the war
While all this was going down, Trump made it clear that he was mostly focused on the cost of the war to the U.S. He’s worried about how much the country is spending, even if peace talks are in the works.
Macron, on the other hand, seemed more focused on the bigger picture, saying that a truce between Ukraine and Russia might be possible soon — just not at the cost of Ukraine giving up any land.
It was definitely an awkward moment, but Macron’s calm was impressive. Let’s see how things play out next.
