French President Emmanuel Macron has employed various tactics in his dealings with US President Donald Trump since 2017. In contrast to British Prime Ministers Theresa May and Boris Johnson, who struggled to navigate their relationships with Trump, Macron appears to have a more effective approach.
Macron has long been familiar with Trump’s style, having met him several times before taking office. This familiarity allows Macron to tread a fine line between firmness and friendliness in his interactions with the US president. According to Sébastien Maillard, a fellow at Chatham House, Macron is “quite shrewd” in his behavior when dealing with Trump.
In contrast, British Prime Ministers May and Johnson faced challenges in their relationships with Trump due to their perceived lack of familiarity with him. The public perception of these interactions often overshadowed any diplomatic achievements. For instance, the media focused on Theresa May’s handshake with Trump at a White House press conference, rather than her efforts to secure a political and diplomatic coup.
However, Macron’s strategy appears to be paying off. By having gone first in meeting with Trump, he may have set an important precedent for future interactions between British Prime Ministers and the US president. This precedent provides a window into Trump’s thinking and allows Macron to frame success as incremental progress, rather than radical transformation of his views.
In contrast, Paul Harrison, May’s former press secretary, acknowledges that expectation management is crucial when dealing with Trump. “You have to be realistic about what you can achieve,” he says. “If you know Trump’s starting position is miles away from yours, you have to frame success as moving him a little bit, rather than completely transforming his view into yours.”
Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/02/26/farages-advice-starmer