French President Emmanuel Macron appeared to take a subtle swipe at President Donald Trump after King Charles III offered a pointed history lesson during his White House address on Tuesday night.
During King Charles III’s state visit to the U.S. this week, the monarch highlighted the deep ties between the U.K. and the U.S., using history to argue for continued unity between the allies.
“As the direct descendant of King George III, I know this is a nation that never gives up,” he said during the state dinner held in his honor, noting how British history is reflected in American place names such as the Carolinas, Virginia, Georgia and Maryland.
He added, “This said, our French friends can feel equally at home with a glance at a map,” before turning to Trump’s past remarks. “Indeed, you recently commented, Mr. President, that if it were not for the United States, European countries would be speaking German.”
The king was referencing Trump’s earlier Davos speech—where he said, “Without us, right now you’d all be speaking German, and a little Japanese, perhaps”—Charles responded, “Dare I say that if it wasn’t for us, you’d be speaking French.”
The king was referring to the legacy of British and French colonial rule in North America, where the two powers had long competed for dominance before the United States gained independence more than two centuries ago.
Macron offered a sharp response to the suggestion that Americans would be speaking French.
“That would be chic!” he said on X.
Macron and Trump have had a turbulent relationship in the past.
Earlier this month, Macron blasted Trump after the 79-year-old made a joke about the French leader and his wife while attacking NATO for not joining the Iran war.
During a rambling speech, Trump referenced a shocking incident last May in which France’s first lady, Brigitte Macron, appeared to shove Macron in the face as the couple was departing a plane in Vietnam.
“I call up France, Macron, whose wife treats him extremely badly, still recovering from the right to the jaw,” Trump said.
Speaking to reporters in South Korea, Macron said: “The words that I was able to hear, which you refer to, are neither elegant nor of a high standard. That’s it. So I’m not going to answer it, it doesn’t deserve an answer.”
Trump and Macron have also clashed over the war in Iran, with France refusing to take part in the deeply unpopular U.S.-led military campaign.
France has also blocked Israeli planes from flying weapons through its airspace.
Meanwhile, Macron previously infuriated Trump by rejecting his invitation to join his so-called “Board of Peace,” and publicly opposed his threat to impose tariffs on eight European nations unless the U.S. secures what Trump has described as the “complete and total purchase” of Greenland.
