FRANCE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “France’s President Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump skipped through Tuesday [4-24-18] kissing, hugging, holding hands and rubbing each others’ shoulders. On Wednesday, [4-25-18] before a joint session of of Congress, the charismatic French leader turned around and repudiated the US President’s political philosophy and worldview. The startling contrast between Macron palling around with Trump on a state visit and his velvet hammer speech — effectively defending the world order from ‘America First’ nationalism — encapsulated his intricate US strategy. Macron wants to bind the Trump administration into the existing Western international system, to convince it to dive back into multilateral efforts to shut down Iran’s nuclear program, to battle climate change and to safeguard globalization and free trade.”
-Stephen Collinson, “After the hugs and kisses, Macron rips Trumpism,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, April 26, 2018 6:43 am