French Minister blasts Trump's comments & says The Donald has made the EU 'closer'
DONALD Trump has been warned not to openly condemn European Union leaders following his comments about Angela Merkel's "catastrophic" open-door migrant policy.
Donald Trump claims NATO is 'obsolete'
France's finance minster Michael Sapin said the President-elect's rhetoric about the German Chancellor was "unacceptable", before adding his claims had brought EU leaders "closer together".
He said: “The more he makes this sort of statement, the more Europeans close ranks. As Frenchmen, and as Europeans, the unfounded attack on Mrs Merkel is not an argument we can accept.”
During the interview published on Sunday, Mr Trump dismissed the NATO military alliance as “obsolete” and said immigration would cause the EU to “disintegrate” within the next decade.
French Minister Michael Sapin blasts Donald Trump over comment about Angela Merkel
Manuel Valls also condemned Mr Trump’s “inappropriate and provocative” claims
He also said the Berlin Christmas market attack – carried out by a Tunisian Islamic State fanatic who entered the EU by posing as a refugee – was one of the consequences of the Chancellor’s refugee policy.
The more he makes this sort of statement, the more Europeans close ranks
But Mr Sapin also said that the incoming President’s unabashed criticism of Europe only served to “reinforce” European solidarity.
Manuel Valls also condemned Mr Trump’s “inappropriate and provocative” claims and said that the reckless President-elect had inadvertently “declared war on the EU”.
The former French prime minister said: “People truly believed that he would calm down after winning the presidency.
During an interview published on Sunday, Mr Trump dismissed the NATO military alliance as 'obsolete'
"But he is – and always has been – a populist. And he will implement the hardline protectionist policies that helped him win the US presidential election. People don’t change overnight.”
The French presidential hopeful added that Mr Trump was trying to “dislocate” Europe, and that the bloc would be “unhinged” if it did not “fight back”.
He said: “The US and the EU have always been close allies. But if Mr Trump wants to maintain a close relationship with the EU, he’s going to have to say so out loud.”