Newly elected French President Emmanuel Macron showered high praise on President Trump’s “capacity to listen” after meeting the U.S. president at the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Italy, The Associated Press reported Saturday.
“I found someone who is open and willing to deal well with us,” Macron said.
Macron’s commendations of Trump followed tense discussions between G7 members about whether Trump would withdraw the United States from the Paris climate deal. Trump was the only leader who declined to pledge his support for the agreement, saying on Saturday he’d make a final decision on the deal next week.
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If the U.S. withdraws from the Paris deal, it would become the first of the 195 countries in the pact to do so.
Trump’s refusal to pledge support for the climate agreement particularly irked German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was also at the G7 summit. She called the talks “unsatisfactory,” according to the AP.
But Macron, who was elected earlier this month, spoke more fondly of his discussions with Trump, recalling that the two men were able to communicate respectfully and productively.
“I saw a leader with strong opinions on a number of subjects, which I share in part — the fight against terrorism, the willingness to keep our place in the family of nations — and with whom I have disagreements that we spoke about very calmly. I saw someone who listens and who is willing to work,” he said.