Macron Says Trump’s Marriage Jibe Does Not Merit a Response

French President Emmanuel Macron brushed off Donald Trump’s taunts about his marriage, saying the remarks were “neither elegant nor up to standard” and not worthy of a reply.

Yet after several days of strain over US-Israeli strikes on Iran and renewed friction over NATO, Macron appeared to let his frustration show, warning that “there is too much talk” and insisting that “this is not a show”.

Mr Trump on Wednesday ridiculed the French president and his wife during a private lunch, as he lashed out at NATO allies for failing to join the war against Iran.

The US president adopted a French accent and claimed that Mr Macron’s wife “treats him extremely badly” and that Mr Macron was still “recovering from the right to the jaw”.

Speaking during a visit to Seoul, where he was joined by his wife Brigitte, Mr Macron said Mr Trump’s remarks were “neither elegant nor up to standard”.

“So I am not going to respond to them – they do not merit a response,” Mr Macron told reporters.

He said attention should remain on efforts to “work towards de-escalation” in the Middle East and secure a ceasefire.

“There is too much talk, and it’s all over the place,” the French president said, in an apparent swipe at a series of policy reversals by Mr Trump.

“We all need stability, calm, a return to peace – this isn’t a show!” Mr Macron said.

‘Taunting others’

Donald Trump ridiculed Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte at a private lunch

Mr Trump’s latest attack on Mr Macron drew a sharp response from French politicians.

“Honestly, it’s not up to par,” said Yael Braun-Pivet, president of France’s lower house of parliament.

“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,” she told franceinfo.

Even Manuel Bompard, coordinator of the hard-left France Unbowed party and a frequent critic of the president, came to Mr Macron’s defence.

“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,” Mr Bompard told broadcaster BFMTV.

Conservative French daily Le Figaro wrote: “Another controversial outburst from Donald Trump.”

‘Still recovering’

Mr Trump mocked Mr Macron and France in a video that was briefly posted on the White House YouTube channel before access was blocked.

“We didn’t need them, but I asked anyway,” Mr Trump said.

“I call up France, Macron – whose wife treats him extremely badly. Still recovering from the right to the jaw,” Mr Trump said.

The US president was referring to a May 2025 news video that appeared to show Brigitte Macron pushing the French president’s face during a trip to Vietnam, footage Mr Macron later dismissed as part of a disinformation campaign.

At the time, Mr Macron denied there had been any “domestic dispute” with his wife, saying they were “joking as we often do”.

“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,'” Mr Trump continued.

He then put on a French accent to deliver what he said was Mr Macron’s reply: “‘No no no, we cannot do that, Donald. We can do that after the war is won,'” he said.

“I said, ‘No no, I don’t need after the war is won Emmanuel,'” Mr Trump said.

“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,” Mr Trump said, without elaborating.

He also called NATO a “paper tiger”, the latest in a string of attacks by Mr Trump and senior officials on the transatlantic alliance since he returned to the White House last year.

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.