After giving a speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Monday night, Macron found himself stuck behind a police barricade while trying to reach his country’s diplomatic mission in the city.
Whereas regular folk may have sat patiently or taken to social media to vent their fury, Macron put aside any tension over their dueling stances on Israel's war in Gaza and dialed his friend in the White House. NBC reported.
How are you?” Macron was filmed saying into his cellphone. “Guess what? I’m waiting in the street because everything is frozen for you!”
He then attempted to use their traffic-chat as an excuse to discuss more weighty matters.
“I would love this weekend have a short discussion with Qatar and you on the situation in Gaza,” said the French leader.
After the barricade chat, an official traveling with Macron told NBC News that Macron “took the opportunity to call Donald Trump on the phone while walking, for a very warm and friendly conversation that allowed them to discuss several international issues.”
It wasn’t possible to hear Trump’s response. NBC News has reached out to the White House for comment.
Police officers guarding the barricades appeared somewhat embarrassed at having to block the path of a visiting world leader.
“I’m sorry president, I’m really sorry, it’s just that everything’s frozen right now,” one of them said in the video. Macron seemed to joke with them that they could turn a blind eye to him crossing, saying he wanted to “negotiate” with them.
He was not the only world leader to suffer such a traffic-related indignity. Earlier in the day, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was also seen held up at the barriers.
