As France deals with mass protests, President Donald Trump tried to make the domestic unrest all about him and his gripes about NATO and trade deficits.
Thousands of protesters took to the streets this week to express anger towards the French government over gasoline taxes and wealth inequity, with many going so far as to commit acts of violence as police acted to protect key buildings.
The rising cost of living combined with increasing gas taxes has pushed many to the breaking point.
Most of the protesters were peaceful, and those who were not drew a rebuke from French President Emmanuel Macron.
“There is no place for violence in the Republic,” he wrote on Twitter.
Despite the protests being about internal policies that have nothing to do with the United States, Trump took to Twitter himself on Sunday morning to make the unrest all about him.
The large and violent French protests don’t take into account how badly the United States has been treated on Trade by the European Union or on fair and reasonable payments for our GREAT military protection. Both of these topics must be remedied soon.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 25, 2018
Again, NATO and the trade deficit with the European Union have nothing to do with the protests in France. Trump is clearly trying to stir chaos and wants to use the protests as a way to get what he wants.
It should be pointed out that NATO nations are already paying their fair share or will be doing so by 2020. Furthermore, NATO is not a protection racket, it’s a military alliance.
In addition, seeing as how the European Union currently has a $92 billion trade surplus, it’s delusional to believe the French people would ever protest over trade that benefits them.
Twitter users mocked Trump for trying to take advantage of the protests.
Lol “The French are not rioting about my trade complaints” is a hell of a “how can I make this about me” Trump moment
— The Glare (@TheGlare_TM) November 25, 2018
The protests in France are about raising taxes on gas IN France. Dude not every thing is about you.
— Die dicke Frau hat gesprochen (@Kathy_K78) November 25, 2018
Dear @realDonaldTrump your tweet does not make any sense! What is the relation between the protests in France and the way EU had made business with the US. Ridiculous
— Sofiane Boukhari (@SofianeBoukhar1) November 25, 2018
Those protests have nothing to do with you Don, hard as that is for you to imagine.
Now…it’s Sunday morning. You need to start getting ready for church.— Curtis Perfect (@CurtisPerfect) November 25, 2018
You are an amoral monster who thrives on the pain and suffering of others. Astounding how you could turn this unfortunate #Paris chaos into your typical narcissistic “I’m the victim” bullshit. You are so unfit for office is staggering… #Trump
— Andy Ostroy (@AndyOstroy) November 25, 2018
“The large and violent protests in France” are because of French policies, they are internal … they are about wealth inequity, unfair taxation. It is not about your BS with NATO or anger at the EU … what a narcissistic a-hole!https://t.co/V7lG7mAsAY
— ??Xiomara Trump’s a traitor gloves off ?? (@BrokenSpiritNMB) November 25, 2018
What the actual fuck? They’re protesting domestic gasoline taxes. What the holy hell has the US relationship got to do with any of that?
— Annoyed Norwegian (@norwegian76) November 25, 2018
This would be a good time for Trump to keep his mouth shut and offer support and sympathy to France instead of acting like a bad ally who only thinks of himself.
Featured Image: Wikimedia
