Macron's Manhattan Mystery: Why Was France's Leader Suddenly Stopped in the Big Apple?

President Emmanuel Macron of France found himself in a bizarre situation when he was stopped by the police in the streets of New York to make way for US President Donald Trump's motorcade on Monday night.

The unexpected incident was recorded on video, which is now widely shared online.

Macron was seen stepping out of his vehicle, then personally called Trump to playfully ask him to 'clear the road.'

Macron just came out of the UN General Assembly, where he acknowledged a Palestinian state, when the incident happened.

The French leader was seen arguing with a local police officer to let him pass through the barricades and go to the French embassy.

The police officer apologetically explained that they had to block the roads to make way for Trump's presidential motorcade, comprised of over a dozen vehicles. The president is in New York for his address to the UN, scheduled for Tuesday.

'If you don't see [the motorcade], let me pass,' Macron said while hanging over a metal fence.

Since he was forced to wait, he decided to call Trump to ask a favour.

'Hey, how are you? Guess what, I am waiting in the street because everything is frozen for you, ha!' he jokingly told the US leader.

Another video showed him walking down the street on his way to the French embassy while still talking to Trump over the phone. During his unexpected tour in Manhattan on foot, Macron stopped and posed for photos with passers-by.

The light phone exchange between the two country leaders came at a tense moment in the French-US relations, after Macron disregarded Trump to recognise the Palestinian statehood.

Macron's Bold UN Statements

The French president addressed the delegates of the 2025 UN General Assembly to recognise the state of Palestine, joining the UK and Canada in the historic move.

'The time for peace has come, as we are just moments away from no longer being able to seize it,' Macron said at the UN General Assembly hall as reported by France 24.

'The time has come to free the 48 hostages held by Hamas. The time has come to stop the war, the bombings of Gaza, the massacres and the displacement,' he added. 'We must pave the way for peace.'

The French leader also declared that heads of state must do everything in their power to 'preserve the very possibility of a two-state solution,' which is letting Israel and Palestine live peacefully with each other and ensuring the security for both countries.

In his final statement, Macron declared: 'France recognises the state of Palestine.' It earned loud applause from over 140 leaders in attendance during the assembly.

Trump and the Israeli leaders are deliberately absent during his speech due to opposing views about the matter.

Israel's Warning

Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, condemned Macron's statements, saying: 'We will take action.'

'It's easier to come here and give speeches, take pictures, feel like they are doing something. But they are not promoting peace. They are supporting terrorism,' he told the press.

Aside from Israel and the US, Germany also disagreed with France's stand and opted not to recognise a Palestinian state.