Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
French President Emmanuel Macron found himself in an unexpectedly humbling moment this week, when New York City police officers stopped his convoy to allow former U.S. President Donald Trump’s motorcade to pass. The moment captured on video and widely shared online, saw Macron standing awkwardly on the curb outside the United Nations headquarters, visibly perplexed as security protocols brought traffic to a halt.
“I’m really sorry, Mr. President, everything is frozen,” a NYPD officer tells Macron in the now-viral clip. Seemingly frustrated, Macron is then seen taking out his phone and, in a separate video, appearing to call Trump directly: “Guess what, I’m waiting in the street right now because everything is frozen for you.”
The French president eventually gave up waiting and continued his journey on foot, flanked by bodyguards, as the roads reopened but only to pedestrians.
A Public Protocol Snub or Power Play?
Macron was in New York to attend the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, but the incident outside its gates quickly overshadowed his diplomatic agenda. On social media, users interpreted the moment as a calculated demonstration of hierarchy.
“That’s not just a mix-up that’s a power signal,” one user wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “When world leaders get parked so Trump can pass, it tells you everything about who commands respect in the room.”
Another added: “Humiliating. The French president stuck on the curb while Trump’s motorcade rolls like a king’s parade.” Some even labeled it a breach of diplomatic protocol. “This is not an ‘awkward moment’. This is a serious insult.” The optics could not have come at a worse time for Macron, who is facing escalating turmoil at home.
Record-Low Approval Amid Domestic Crisis
As images of Macron stranded on a Manhattan street circled the globe, fresh polling data published by Le Journal du Dimanche revealed that his approval rating in France has plunged to just 17%, the lowest since he took office in 2017.
The IFOP poll comes on the heels of massive nationwide protests, where nearly one million workers took to the streets to oppose government austerity measures and budget cuts.
In Paris, unrest boiled over into violent clashes, with demonstrators setting fire to wooden pallets outside the Gare du Nord station. Tear gas billowed through the streets as riot police confronted protesters waving flares and anti-wealth placards. High school students even blocked school entrances, echoing broader frustrations with what many see as Macron’s failure to protect public services.
