Emmanuel Macron has been widely applauded for directly correcting Donald Trump’s false claims during a press conference, even physically stopping him mid-sentence to set the record straight.
The 47-year-old French president found himself fact-checking the 78-year-old Republican leader in real time as Trump attempted to push the narrative that Ukraine had taken advantage of US aid in its defense against Russia. Trump insisted that it was now time for Ukraine to pay the US back, making his remarks during an event in Washington.
During the interview, Macron addressed the financial toll of the war, stating: “This war cost all of us a lot of money, and this is the responsibility of Russia because the aggressor is Russia.”
Trump then interrupted, confidently asserting that all European aid to Ukraine came in the form of loans: “Just so you understand, Europe is loaning the money to Ukraine. They get their money back.”
At that moment, Macron placed his hand on Trump’s wrist and firmly corrected him: “No. To be frank, we paid 60% of the total effort. Like the US, loans, guarantees, grants, and we provided real money.”
He further explained: “If at the end of the negotiation, they are ready to give it to us, super, it will loan at the end of the day, and we will have paid for that.”
Seemingly caught off guard, Trump responded, “If you believe that, it’s OK with me,” before doubling down on his claim: “But they get their money back and we don’t.”
