G7 summit: Trump compliments Emmanuel Macron parody account and insists bizarre ‘chosen one’ comments were sarcastic

President insists he was joking, despite having earlier promoted claims comparing him to the second coming of God

Samuel Osborne
Saturday 24 August 2019 17:21 BST
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Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron meet ahead of G7

Donald Trump has complimented an Emmanuel Macron parody account after he met the French president in the run up to the G7 summit.

The US president tweeted: “Just had lunch with French President @EmanuelMacrone. Many good things are happening for both of our countries.”

However, the account he linked in the tweet belongs to a parody account and not his French counterpart.

Mr Trump added: “Big weekend with other world leaders!”

Mr Trump held a private lunch with Mr Macron before the start of the Group of Seven summit in the resort town of Biarritz.

Mr Macron, who is hosting the summit, said the leaders are discussing "a lot of crisis" around the world, including Libya, Iran and Russia, as well as trade policy and climate change.

Mr Trump said the two leaders "actually have a lot in common" and a "special relationship". He added: "We'll accomplish a lot this weekend and I look forward to it."

The US leader also claimed that he was "being sarcastic" when he promoted the idea that he was "the chosen one" to take on Beijing and said the US would probably make a deal with China.

Donald Trump tweeted the "Emmanuel Macrone" parody account.

Insisting his comments were not meant to be taken seriously, he tweeted: "When I looked up to the sky and jokingly said “I am the chosen one,” at a press conference two days ago, referring to taking on Trade with China, little did I realize that the media would claim that I had a “Messiah complex.

"They knew I was kidding, being sarcastic, and just.... having fun. I was smiling as I looked up and around. The MANY reporters with me were smiling also. They knew the TRUTH...And yet when I saw the reporting, CNN, MSNBC and other Fake News outlets covered it as serious news & me thinking of myself as the Messiah. No more trust!"

Those comments came shortly after he was widely ridiculed for promoting the claim that he was like the “King of Israel" and “the second coming of God”.

Quoting Wayne Allyn Root, a conservative radio host known for promoting conspiracy theories, the US leader tweeted: “President Trump is the greatest President for Jews and for Israel in the history of the world, not just America, he is the best President for Israel in the history of the world...and the Jewish people in Israel love him like he’s the King of Israel.

“They love him like he is the second coming of God...But American Jews don’t know him or like him. They don’t even know what they’re doing or saying anymore. It makes no sense!”

“But that’s OK, if he keeps doing what he’s doing, he’s good for all Jews, Blacks, Gays, everyone. And importantly, he’s good for everyone in America who wants a job.”

Mr Trump added his own comment at the end: “Wow!”

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