French President Emmanuel Macron was left stranded on a New York street and forced to continue his journey on foot after Donald Trump’s presidential motorcade blocked roads in Manhattan on Monday, in an awkward diplomatic moment that quickly went viral on social media.
The incident occurred shortly after Macron delivered a landmark speech at the United Nations headquarters, where he formally announced France’s recognition of the Palestinian state. The French leader was en route to the French Embassy when New York police halted all traffic to secure passage for Trump’s convoy ahead of his own UN address scheduled for Tuesday.
Footage captured the moment a New York police officer informed the French President, “I’m sorry, Mr President, everything is blocked right now,” as Trump’s presidential convoy approached. The brief roadside delay left Macron visibly confused before he decided to make light of the situation.
In a moment that highlighted both diplomatic humour and the complex logistics of hosting world leaders in New York, Macron pulled out his phone and called Trump directly, joking: “Guess what, I’m waiting in the street because everything is blocked for you.” The French leader was heard laughing during the call, which appeared jovial despite the inconvenience.
After waiting for several minutes, Macron decided to continue his journey on foot, walking approximately 30 minutes through Manhattan’s streets whilst still speaking to Trump on the phone. His bodyguards accompanied him as crowds of bystanders gathered to take selfies with the French President, who obliged with apparent good humour.
The viral footage sparked intense reaction on social media, with some interpreting the incident through a political lens. One X user wrote: “That’s not just a mix-up – that’s a power signal. When world leaders get parked so Trump can pass, it tells you everything about who commands respect in the room.”
Another user called it “humiliating” that the French President was “stuck on the curb while Trump’s motorcade rolls like a king’s parade.”
The diplomatic awkwardness comes at a particularly challenging time for Macron domestically. According to a recent poll by sociological service Verian for Le Figaro Magazine, the French President’s approval rating has plummeted to just 15 per cent, with 80 per cent of respondents expressing no confidence in him – marking his lowest ratings since taking office in 2017.
The dismal approval figures represent an even steeper decline than during the 2018 Yellow Vests crisis, when Macron’s approval stood at 20 per cent. His Prime Minister, François Bayrou, fares little better with just 14 per cent approval and 82 per cent opposition to his policies.
Macron’s presidency has been marked by political paralysis following his party’s defeat in European elections and a failed gamble to call snap elections, which resulted in an even more fragmented parliament with no clear majority. The country is grappling with a budget deficit equivalent to 5.8 per cent of GDP and a debt-to-GDP ratio of 113 per cent.
The French President has faced mounting pressure in recent weeks, with anti-austerity strikes and labour marches drawing hundreds of thousands of protesters. Railway workers, hospital staff, and teachers have been amongst the most vocal groups protesting against the government’s plans to cut public spending whilst attempting to reduce national debt.
Unions have demanded higher taxes on the wealthy and a reversal of budget cuts, with Frédéric Dabi, general director of polling company Ifop, stating: “A majority of French people are resistant, lost and will not return.
Despite these domestic challenges, Macron used his UN platform to make a significant foreign policy announcement. At the high-level summit co-convened by France and Saudi Arabia, Macron formally recognised Palestinian statehood, declaring: “We have gathered here because the time has come.”
France joined Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta and Monaco in recognising Palestine on Monday, following similar announcements from Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal the previous day. Speaking at the summit, Macron told the UN General Assembly that recognition of a Palestinian state is the “only solution that will allow for Israel to live in peace,” calling the move a “defeat for Hamas.
The French recognition fulfils a promise Macron made in July, when he announced France would formally recognise Palestine at the September UN General Assembly. In his letter to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Macron affirmed that the decision “reaffirms France’s commitment to the implementation of the two-state solution, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security.”
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who addressed the summit via video link after being denied a visa by the Trump administration, welcomed the recognition and vowed that Hamas would have “no role” in future Palestinian governance. “What we want is one unified state without weapons, a state with one law and one legitimate security forces,” Abbas declared.
The recognition has drawn fierce criticism from Israel, with Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon calling the summit a “charade” and expressing disappointment with Macron’s decision. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel “will not allow the establishment of a Palestinian entity that would harm our security, endanger our existence, and undermine our historical right to the Land of Israel.
The United States, which boycotted the summit alongside Israel, remains vehemently opposed to Palestinian recognition, with President Trump maintaining that statehood can only come through direct negotiations.
The street-side delay in New York, whilst relatively minor in diplomatic terms, has become a viral symbol of the complex power dynamics at play during this week’s UN General Assembly. The episode highlighted the complexity of security and logistics involved in hosting dozens of world leaders in New York, where overlapping motorcades and strict restrictions often make even presidents victims of the city’s notorious traffic jams.
For Macron, already facing record-low approval ratings and domestic turmoil, the image of being forced to wait on a Manhattan street corner whilst Trump’s convoy passed has provided his critics with fresh ammunition. However, the French President appeared to handle the situation with characteristic diplomatic grace, turning what could have been an international incident into a moment of levity between two leaders who have had a historically complex relationship.
As world leaders continue to gather in New York for the UN General Assembly, the incident serves as a reminder that even in the highest echelons of international diplomacy, sometimes everyone must wait their turn – even if it means the President of France taking an unexpected walking tour of Manhattan.
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