During a roundtable event at the White House on Friday, Donald Trump entertained attendees by imitating French President Emmanuel Macron’s accent.
The former U.S. president recounted a conversation he had with Macron, focusing on his initiative to balance drug costs between the United States and other countries.
Adopting a French accent, Trump portrayed Macron’s response during their talk: “Yes, Donald, Donald. Thank you so much for calling,” he said, illustrating the French leader’s greeting.
Trump shared that he warned Macron, “You’re not going to like this call. You’re going to have to get your drug prices up.”
In another mock impersonation of Macron, Trump continued, “No, no, no, no, no, I will not do that,” highlighting the French president’s resistance.
Trump emphasized his stance on drug pricing reform, referencing an executive order he signed in May aimed at introducing ‘most-favored-nation’ pricing to the U.S. He also mentioned that if France did not raise its pharmaceutical prices, he would impose tariffs on the country.
‘I said, “Emmanuel, we’re paying 13 times more than – 13 times, not 13 percent – 13 times more than you are for this bill.” I rattled off some numbers that are crazy. You know the numbers I’m talking about,’ Trump said.
‘”Here’s the story, Emmanuel. If you don’t do it, I’m going to put a 25 percent tariff on all goods, wine, champagnes and everything else coming into the United States of America.”‘
Donald Trump mimicked Emmanuel Macron’s French accent while recounting a phone call the two had over drug prices
Last week, Macron accused the US of ‘breaking free from international rules’ and ‘gradually turning away’ from some of its allies
Trump, continuing to use a French accent, said that Macron immediately caved.
‘[Macron] said, “Donald, I would love to do this for you. It would be a great honor to do it,’ he said. ‘And that’s where it began. And I went through country after country.’
While recounting the phone conversation, Trump added that he thinks fondly of Macron.
‘I like him a lot. I hope he’s listening, because he doesn’t believe that, but I do. He’s a nice man,’ Trump said.
The president appeared to recount the same story using a French accent at the House GOP member retreat on January 6.
Before delving into the anecdote, Trump added, ‘I love the French accent.’
He went on to say that Macron told him: ‘Donald, you have a deal. I would like to increase my prescription drug prices by 200 per cent or whatever. Whatever you want, Donald, please don’t tell the population, I beg you.’
He claimed to have told France to either agree to the US’s demands or face a massive 25 percent tariff on all French products, including champagne and wine.
Trump said that he thinks fondly on Macron and believes he is ‘a nice man’
Two days later, Macron accused the US of ‘breaking free from international rules’ and ‘gradually turning away’ from some of its allies.
‘The United States is an established power, but one that is gradually turning away from some of its allies and breaking free from international rules that it was still promoting recently,’ Macron told ambassadors at the Elysée Palace.
‘Multilateral institutions are functioning less and less effectively,’ Macron added. ‘We are living in a world of great powers with a real temptation to divide up the world.’
