Macron Tells ABC News Trump Underestimated Strait of Hormuz Issue

French President Emmanuel Macron stated in an exclusive interview with ABC News' David Muir that the "main objective" of his meeting with President Donald Trump was to "find the right deal in order to open" the Strait of Hormuz and address the escalating global energy crisis. Macron told Muir that the Iranian regime's ability to close the strait had been "underestimated" and that the United States was uniquely positioned to resolve the issue.

Macron indicated France's willingness to be more involved in protecting transit capacities through the strait, stating, "we are ready to be more engaged in order to protect some capacities in order to make this transit possible, yes." He also expressed a view that military intervention for regime change is not a viable option, citing past failures.

Regarding the war in Ukraine, Macron conveyed that he believes Trump now has a more accurate assessment of the situation, recognizing Russia's setbacks and Ukraine's resistance. "My conviction is that your president has a fair assessment now of the situation, that Russia is not delivering what they wanted, that Ukraine is resisting with a lot of bravery and innovation, and that we have to help them," Macron said. He also mentioned that he has been able to "convince" Trump that Russia was overrated.

Macron expressed skepticism regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin's assurances of peaceful intentions. "No," Macron responded when asked if he believed Putin. "I don't buy when President Putin say years ago he wanted peace and make peace. This is not true. And I don't buy when he say he doesn't -- he's not aggressive with -- with Europeans. This is not true."

During the interview, Macron also commented on a social media post by Trump featuring a map that included French territories within North America. Macron described the idea as "strange" and urged against creating new conflicts. "We have sufficient topics to be fixed. Let's not create new conflicts and new tensions," he stated.

On the topic of artificial intelligence, Macron said he takes concerns about its potential threat to humanity "very seriously." He called for global cooperation, including the U.S., China, and Europe, to establish regulations and address potential misuses and risks to economies and national security.

Macron also shared his perspective on Trump's proposed "Triumphal Arch" in Washington, inspired by Paris's Arc de Triomphe. When asked if Trump's arch would "blow away" the original, Macron responded, "No. Paris will remain Paris and the Arc de Triomphe remain the Arc de Triomphe...These monuments are bigger than ourselves."