During a visit to the United States, King Charles III playfully jabbed at former President Donald Trump while noting prior comments about Europe’s allies. He told the audience, ‘You recently commented, Mr President, that if it were not for the United States, European countries would be speaking German. Dare I say that if it wasn’t for us, you’d be speaking French?’ The remark drew laughter and applause, including from Mr Trump. French President Emmanuel Macron later posted a clip of the exchange on social media with the caption: ‘That would be chic!’ Earlier this year at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Mr Trump asserted American economic dominance, saying, ‘The USA is the economic engine of the planet. And when America booms, the entire world booms. Without us, right now you’d all be speaking German and a little Japanese, perhaps.’ The spat between the U.S. and France has included personal barbs: Trump has mocked Macron’s sunglasses, which the French leader wears for an eye-health issue, and on April 2 made disparaging comments about Macron’s marriage while chastising France over its stance on a potential U.S.-Israeli offensive against Iran. CNN reported Trump saying, ‘I called up France, Macron, whose wife treats him extremely badly, (he is) still recovering from the right to the jaw,’ apparently referring to a 2025 video in which Brigitte Macron appeared to slap the president aboard the French presidential jet. Tensions have persisted on other fronts. On March 17, 2025, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, responding to a French MEP’s suggestion that the Statue of Liberty be returned to France, sardonically told reporters unnamed French politicians should ‘remind them that it’s only because of the United States of America that the French are not speaking German right now.’ Separately, the New York Times reported that Iran fired on a French vessel attempting to leave the Strait of Hormuz; President Macron said blame lay with ‘both sides’ and suggested the incident was partly prompted by a U.S. blockade decision that influenced Iranian actions.
