US President Donald Trump has reacted sharply to French President Emmanuel Macron's decision to recognize the Palestinian state, describing the step as "meaningless" and "irrelevant on the international stage."
Trump's comments were made during an interview, where he did not spare his ironies towards his French counterpart.
"Emmanuel is fine, he's a team player. But here's the good news: what he says doesn't matter. It won't change anything," Trump said, downplaying France's influence on the Israeli-Palestinian issue and global politics in general.
Macron's statement, which expressed France's commitment to officially recognizing Palestine as an independent state, has prompted mixed reactions around the world.
While some European countries such as Spain, Ireland and Norway have already taken concrete steps in this direction, France has positioned itself on a more diplomatic line, signaling political will but without setting a clear deadline.