French Foreign Minister Urges Donald Trump Not to Interfere in Domestic Affairs

Following comments from Donald Trump, the President of the United States, regarding the recent protests in Paris, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian urged Trump not to interfere in the internal affairs of France. On Sunday, December 9, he stated, "We do not meddle in U.S. domestic politics, and we expect a similar approach from the other side." In an interview with LCI television, Le Drian said, on behalf of himself and the President of France, "Leave our people alone, Mr. Trump." Trump had tweeted on Saturday about the recent demonstrations in France, again harshly criticizing the climate agreement known as the "Paris Agreement." He suggested that the "ridiculous and extremely costly Paris Agreement" should be canceled and the money returned to the people, noting that it had been a "sad day and night" for Paris. Protests in Paris and several other cities in France continued for the fourth consecutive week on Saturday, with police using water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters who call themselves the "Yellow Vests." Around 1,700 people were arrested during the protests, with more than 1,200 taken to detention centers, and the number of injured exceeded one hundred. Trump criticized the Paris Agreement, stating, "People do not want to pay so much money, most of which goes to third-world countries (with questionable management), to possibly protect the environment." He also tweeted that people in France were chanting, "We want Trump." According to AFP, one of the tweets Trump shared last week was part of several "fake news" claims that alleged French protesters were chanting in support of him. A video circulated on Twitter showing this chant, but it was actually from far-right demonstrations in London earlier this year. Nonetheless, the initial cause of the recent unrest in France was a protest against rising fuel prices, which Trump attributed to the Paris Agreement. Trump's recent tweets have drawn reactions from various political figures in France, including Joachim Son-Forge, a member of parliament from Emmanuel Macron's party, who angrily repeated North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's insults about Trump. The Paris Agreement, signed by 195 countries three years ago, calls for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and combating climate change. Trump announced the official withdrawal of the United States from the agreement in August, claiming it harmed the U.S. economy. Although the relationship between Trump and Macron was initially warm and friendly, it has cooled in recent months, with AFP citing issues like the Paris Agreement, the stance on the nuclear deal with Iran, and the "European Army" as major reasons for this rift.