Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2025

Daily Sabah - Latest & Breaking News from Turkey | Istanbul

  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV

Macron says phone calls with Trump like 'sausages' - better not explain what's inside

by

PARIS Jun 05, 2018 - 12:00 am GMT+3
French President Emmanuel Macron stands at the entrance after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister at the Elysee Palace in Paris, on June 5, 2018. (AFP Photo)
French President Emmanuel Macron stands at the entrance after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister at the Elysee Palace in Paris, on June 5, 2018. (AFP Photo)
by Jun 05, 2018 12:00 am

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday his phone calls with U.S. President Donald Trump and other world leaders were just like sausages: better not explain what's inside.

During a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Macron was asked about a CNN report on Monday saying that a phone call between the French leader and Trump last week had been "terrible".

Borrowing a famous quote from 19th century Prussian statesman Otto von Bismarck, Macron summed up his policy of refraining from making off-the-record comments about his conversations with other world leaders.

"As Bismarck used to say, if we explained to people how sausages were made, it's unlikely they'd keep eating them," Macron told reporters.

"So I like it when people see the finished meal, but I'm not convinced the kitchen commentary helps with delivering the meal or eating it," Macron added.

A readout from the French presidency of Macron's call with Trump last week said the 40-year old president had told Trump that his decision to slap tariffs on the exports of U.S. allies were both "illegal" and a "mistake".

The shorter White House readout of the same call said the conversation had focused on trade and immigration, without elaborating.

"Macron thought he would be able to speak his mind, based on the relationship. But Trump can't handle being criticized like that," CNN quoted an unidentified source as saying. "Just bad. It was terrible."

Macron, appalled by his predecessor Francois Hollande's frequent off-the-record comments to journalists, has kept the press at a distance since his election last year and banned his aides from giving behind-the-scenes accounts of his presidency.

"You can go and ask the people who make comments, but here in Paris we don't make comments on how it went, or how hot, cold, warm or terrible things are. We just go ahead and do things," Macron said.

He added that he would have a "useful" and "frank" exchange with Trump at the next G7 summit in Canada on June 7-8 about both issues on which they agree and those where they disagree.

About the author
Research Associate at Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA) at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University
  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Jun 06, 2018 11:40 am
    KEYWORDS
    world
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    No Image
    Salt harvesting at Senegal's Pink Lake
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • DS TV
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021