Watch: Biden Messes Up the Name of the United States’ ‘First Friend’

President Joe Biden suffered a slip-up when referring to an old ally of the United States. During a state dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron, Biden offered a toast to the United States’ first ally. “France was…

Bradley CortrightDec 2, 20222 min read

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The moment comes a year after a rift in the relationship between the U.S. and France over a deal to help provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines.

In 2021, the U.S. and the United Kingdom agreed to provide Australia assistance in developing the submarines.

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However, it put at risk a separate multi-billion dollar contract France had with Australia to provide diesel-powered submarines.

After the nuclear submarine deal was announced, French officials registered their disapproval by temporarily recalling their ambassador to the U.S.

During an October 2021 meeting with Macron, Biden said, “I think what happened – to use an English phrase – what we did was clumsy.”

He continued, “It was not done with a lot of grace. I was under the impression that certain things had happened that had not happened.”

Biden added:

“There’s too much we have done together, suffered together, celebrated together and value together for anything to be able to break this up. We’re at one of those inflection points in world history. Things are changing. Pieces of the board are moving.”

When Macron was asked if the relationship between the two countries had been repaired, he responded, “We clarified together what we had to clarify.”

“Now what’s important is to be sure that such a situation will not be possible for our future,” Macron said.