French President Emmanuel Macron condemned nationalism on Sunday in a fiery speech widely interpreted as a rebuke against President Trump's "America First" agenda.
Speaking at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris at a World War I commemoration ceremony attended by Trump, Macron suggested nationalism could lead to the same death and devastation seen during that war. "Nationalism is a betrayal of patriotism. By saying our interests first, who cares about the others, we erase what a nation holds dearest, what gives it life, what makes it great and what is essential: its moral values," he said as Trump looked on.
"I know there are old demons which are coming back to the surface. They are ready to wreak chaos and death," he said. "History sometimes threatens to take its sinister course once again."
Macron's comments come just a few weeks after Trump declared himself a "nationalist" at a Texas campaign rally, sparking concerns that the label could embolden neo-Nazis and far-right nationalists—a fear that Trump later suggested was "racist."
World leaders walked in France during light rains this past weekend to honor those who died during WWI. Trump didn't, though he presumeably went to France for that purpose.
The Daily Beast, November 11, 2018 - a day commemorating the Armistice which ended WWI.
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November 12, 2018
Post Script. Here are some tweets, curated for those who follow this site, which reflect on what happened in France this past weekend. Oh America, we want you to be the Leader of the Free World again!
