By Our Correspondent

National News – Donald Trump has mocked Emmanuel Macron and questioned the reliability of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) during a private White House lunch on Wednesday.

The remarks came amid rising tensions in the Middle East linked to the ongoing conflict involving Iran.

Trump’s comments, captured in a video briefly uploaded to the White House YouTube channel before being restricted, drew attention to strained relations among Western allies and raised concerns about NATO’s unity.

The United States president also made a controversial reference to Brigitte Macron, the French First Lady, claiming she treated Macron “extremely badly.”

Trump referenced a viral video from May 2025 during Macron’s trip to Vietnam that appeared to show Brigitte pushing the French president’s face.

Macron later dismissed the footage as part of a misinformation campaign and denied any domestic dispute.

According to Trump, he personally called Macron to request French naval support in the Persian Gulf as the United States confronted threats linked to Iran’s missile capabilities.

Trump said he asked France to send ships immediately to assist with operations aimed at intercepting ballistic missiles and targeting hostile forces in the region.

Imitating a French accent while recounting the conversation, Trump claimed Macron responded that France would only consider assisting after the conflict was over.

Trump said he rejected the idea, insisting that help was needed during the war rather than afterward.

The remarks were delivered in front of members of the White House and the Kennedy Center board during the private lunch.

Trump further criticized NATO, describing the alliance as a “paper tiger” and suggesting it might not support the United States in a major global conflict.

He warned that NATO’s commitment could falter if a large-scale war broke out, though he did not specify what such a conflict might involve.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that Washington may reconsider its relationship with NATO once the conflict involving Iran concludes.

The comments signal growing tension between the United States and some of its European allies over defense responsibilities and strategic cooperation.

The incident has sparked criticism in France and renewed debate about the future strength of NATO alliances as global security challenges intensify.