On the eve of the first state visit of President Donald Trump's administration and a planned address to Congress, France President Emmanuel Macron says he maintains "very special relationship" with President Trump because they are both "maverick" political outsiders and reformers.
"I think we have this very special relationship because both of us are probably maverick of the systems on both sides," Macron told "Fox News Sunday." "I think President Trump's election was unexpected in your country, and probably my election was unexpected in my country, and we are not part of the classical political system."
Macron's comments come one week after a unified response via airstrikes to Syria's chemical weapons use, praising President Trump's Bastille Day visit in 2017 as pivotal in forging this once-unlikely relationship.
"Second, I think we are very much in line on some very critical issues of this world and especially combat terrorism and fight against ISIS," Marcon told host Chris Wallace. "Third, I think we have a strong personal relation based on the different meetings we had and especially a visit your president gave to my country for Bastille Day in 2017."
Wallace asked Macron about the first handshake between the leaders, which lasted "six agonizing seconds" and the French president claimed "was not innocent."
"I think there's a very direct and, yes, a very direct and lucid moment," Macron told "When I say it's not innocent, it's to say we were sitting together and we had to shake hands and for us to say, now, we will work together.
". . . I resisted. In fact, it was a very natural moment, I have to say, and a very friendly moment. Don't worry."
President Macron added a response to whether President Trump's "credibility" and "effectiveness" in the world is hindered by FBI special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia influence in the 2016 election and whether Trump campaign officials colluded with foreign entities.
"I'm not the one to judge and in certain way to explain to people what should be your president or to consider because of his controversies or because of his investigations, your president is less credible for me, for my people, and for the rest of the world," Macron said. "I mean, I'm here to deal with the president of the United States and people of the United States elected Donald Trump."
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