Trump: Macron's words on Palestinian state do not matter

Telegraph

4 days ago

'doesn't matter,' President Donald Trump said after the French president announced he would recognise the war-torn territory as a state.
The US president hit out at Mr Macron saying that although he was a 'good guy… it's not going to change anything'.
The French president pledged to formally acknowledge Palestine at the UN General Assembly in September, prompting fury from Israel and allies including the US.
'What he says doesn't matter,' Mr Trump told reporters at the White House, ahead of boarding a flight to the UK to visit his golf courses.
'He's a very good guy. I like him, but that statement doesn't carry weight.'
The president continued: 'Look, he's a different kind of a guy. He's okay. He's a team player, pretty much. But here's the good news: What he says doesn't matter. It's not going to change anything.'
Mr Macron had argued his move to recognise Palestinian statehood was the only path to ending the war in Gaza and bringing security to the Middle East.
However, Charlie Kushner, the recently-confirmed US ambassador to France, called the move a 'gift to Hamas and a blow to peace'.
Mr Kushner, whose son, Jared, is Mr Trump's son-in-law, continued: 'I'm deeply disappointed. [Mr Macron] – I hope to change your mind before September.
'Free the hostages,' he said, referring to the individuals taken hostage by Hamas during the Oct 7 massacre in Israel. 'Focus on a ceasefire. This is the path to lasting peace.'
Mr Macron was slated by hard-Right Dutch MP Geert Wilders. Sharing a map of France with the tip on the south east shaded in red, he said:
Here will be the new Palestinian State.
Big parts of France are already islamic anyway.
Good luck @EmmanuelMacron and France! Happy suicide!
The Netherlands will close its borders immediately. pic.twitter.com/zRUYxhUOj5
— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) July 25, 2025
Sir Keir Starmer has come under pressure from the Scottish Labour leader to immediately recognise Palestine as a state.
Anas Sarwar made the demand shortly before the Prime Minister held emergency talks with his French and German counterparts about the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza.
He also claimed Mr Netanyahu had broken international law and accused him of having 'no interest' in a peaceful resolution to his country's war with Hamas.
Cabinet ministers and dozens of backbench Labour MPs also piled pressure on the Government to recognise the state of Palestine straight away.
Sir Keir's current position is that although the Palestinian people have an 'inalienable right' to their own state, this should only come as part of a wider peace process after a ceasefire in the region.
In a social media video on Friday afternoon, Mr Sarwar said: 'I have long supported the immediate recognition of the state of Palestine and continue to do so.
'But whilst pressing for that, we must see the end of the war right now. What we're seeing on our screens and in our social media feeds is intolerable, unjustifiable and heartbreaking. The mass starvation of a population, the innocent killing of innocent civilians and the destruction of infrastructure.
'That's why we need an immediate ceasefire, we need the free flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza, we need to see the end of illegal occupation and the pathway to a two-state solution.'
He went on to call for the release of the 50 remaining Israeli hostages who are still being held in captivity by Hamas.
Going further in his criticisms of Mr Netanyahu than Sir Keir, Mr Sarwar added: 'Tragically, so many of us feel powerless when we look at the actions of Benjamin Netanyahu and his Israeli government.
'It's clear to me that Benjamin Netanyahu is in breach of international humanitarian law, that he has no interest in peace and he cares more about staying in power and out of jail than doing the right things by his citizens.'
Mr Sarwar's video was published just before Sir Keir held crisis talks with Mr Macron and Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor.
In a statement on the eve of the talks, Sir Keir condemned the 'unspeakable and indefensible' suffering of Palestinians and called it a 'humanitarian catastrophe' amid warnings by the UN of famine and mass starvation.
'Humanitarian aid must be the priority'
Peter Kyle, the Science Secretary, said on Friday that he 'desperately' wanted to see Palestine recognised as a state amid growing pressure from Sir Keir's own front bench for him to do so.
The Telegraph understands that Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, is among Cabinet ministers who want the Prime Minister to pivot to a policy of immediate recognition.
According to the Guardian, Mr Streeting's view is shared by Hilary Benn, the Northern Ireland Secretary, and Shabana Mahmood, the Justice Secretary.
Speaking on Thursday night, Ms Mahmood said that while British recognition of Palestine would have 'multiple benefits' and send a 'strong message' to Israel, the immediate priority must be delivering aid to Gaza.
Bloomberg later reported that Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, also wants to see Palestine recognised straight away.
The Government last month sanctioned two Israeli ministers over their comments about the war in Gaza in a significant break with Mrtw Trump and the US.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, the hard-Right Israeli security minister, and Bezalel Smotrich, the ultra-nationalist finance minister, had their assets frozen and have been banned from entering the UK.