President Biden said, Monday, that French President Emmanuel Macron did not come on the phone on Sunday when he called to congratulate him on it Re-elected by an overwhelming majority.
Biden said he spoke with Macron’s staff instead as the French president took part in the Eiffel Tower – and that he will try again on Monday.
“I feel good about the French election,” Biden said upon returning to the capital from a weekend trip to Delaware, according to a rally report. I tried to talk to him last night. I spoke to his staff and he was at the Eiffel Tower having a great time. I will talk to him today.”
Presidential calls to foreign leaders are usually arranged by White House staff to avoid unrecorded or embarrassing moments for the leader of the world’s richest and most powerful country.
White House Chief of Staff Ron Klein touted Macron’s victory on Twitter as cause for hope for Democrats ahead of this year’s midterm elections, which Republicans would prefer to win.
Klein noted that Macron won despite his 36 percent approval rating — against Biden’s 40 percent approval rating. But commentators have pointed out that the French generally give their presidents far lower scores in opinion polls than do American voters.
This is not the first time that a foreign leader has refused to educate Biden. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Emirati Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan refused to speak with Biden about increasing oil exports to offset the price hikes linked to… Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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