Macron gets stuck in New York... and calls Donald Trump: "I can't get through because of you"
The passage of the US President's convoy forces the closure of dozens of city streets.
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ParisAccustomed to walking—or driving—along with a red carpet and always escorted by the police, French President Emmanuel Macron experienced an unprecedented moment this Monday when he was in New York, after participating in the high-level session on Palestine that he himself convened at the UN, and in which he officially recognized the State of Palestine. Upon leaving the UN headquarters, Macron's vehicles and all his team were blocked. The New York police had blocked the street because the convoy of United States President Donald Trump was about to pass.
After waiting for minutes in the car, Macron decided to get out and speak to a police officer to let him pass. "Sorry, Mr. President, everything is blocked," he replied. It is common for traffic to be cut off for hours wherever the US president has to pass for security reasons. In this case, dozens of streets in New York were closed.
Faced with this situation, Macron decided to call Trump in person. Images recorded by a French media outlet, Brut, bear witness to that unusual moment. "How are you? Guess what: right now I'm waiting on the street because everything is blocked because of you," a smiling French president tells him.
Walking
The call to the US president didn't allow Macron to drive away, but it did allow the police to let him cross the street and continue on foot to his destination. In the images, edited by Brut, the French president is seen taking photos with people he meets along the way. One man even kisses his forehead, without the Élysée Palace tenant losing his smile. In other images, also recorded by Brut, the French president is seen speaking and greeting other police officers and pedestrians.