French President Emmanuel Macron likes to say that he can get President Donald Trump on the phone any time he wants. In New York for the U.N. General Assembly, he proved it.
Blocked on Monday night by police officers when he sought to cross a New York street — they told the French president the road was closed to let a VIP motorcade pass — Macron fished out his phone and dialed his U.S. counterpart.
“How are you?” Macron said. “Guess what? I’m waiting in the street because everything is frozen for you!”
French media that filmed the scene said Trump was in fact on the other end of the line, which a French official confirmed to The Associated Press.
Macron explained to the officers that he was trying to make his way on foot to France’s diplomatic mission in New York, after he delivered a speech at the United Nations in which he announced that France was formally recognizing Palestinian statehood.
“I have 10 people with me,” Macron said, trying to negotiate passage across the street.
“I’m sorry President, I’m really sorry, it’s just that everything’s frozen right now,” one of the police officers told Macron.
But since he had Trump’s ear, Macron used the opportunity to keep chatting.
“I would love this weekend have a short discussion with Qatar and you on the situation in Gaza,” he said.
French media said Macron was able to continue his walk a few minutes later when the street reopened.
France recognized Palestinian statehood on Monday at the start of a high-profile meeting at the United Nations aimed at galvanizing support for a two-state solution to the Mideast conflict.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.