NEW YORK: French President Emmanuel Macron was left waiting on the roadside in New York City to clear the way for US President Donald Trump’s motorcade to pass, shortly after addressing the United Nations General Assembly.
The French president announced the recognition of a Palestinian state at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly on Monday — in defiance of the US. In his speech at the UN, President Macron also outlined a framework that France is advancing in parallel.
However, Macron found himself stranded on the streets of New York City after his speech, as police stopped his vehicle and forced him to let Trump’s motorcade pass, British media outlets reported.
Videos showed the French president arguing with the police officials to let him pass through the barricades placed along the road.
However, officials refused to let Macron pass, saying: “I’m really sorry, Mr President, everything is frozen.”
At this moment, the French president took matters into his own hands and called the US president, asking him to “clear the road”.
Video footage showed the 47-year-old telling Trump over the phone, “I’m waiting in the street right now because everything is frozen for you.”
His phone call with Trump bore no fruit, and he was forced to walk down the streets as police officials initially opened the roads just for pedestrians.
The French president was then seen walking down the New York City streets, still talking to Trump over the phone.
Awkward moment: Macron stopped in New York because of Trump’s motorcade
Police who had blocked roads for Donald Trump’s motorcade mistakenly stopped the car of French President Emmanuel Macron.
Macron got out of the vehicle, called Trump, and jokingly asked him to “clear the… pic.twitter.com/fcRd3Md336
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) September 23, 2025
Macron, however, made light of the situation and posed for photos with passersby and shared laughs with them.
The incident comes at a time when the US is at odds with its Western allies over recognition of a Palestinian state.
Trump criticised Western nations’ decision to recognise a Palestinian state as a “reward to Hamas”, said White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt.
“He feels this does not do anything to release the hostages, which is the primary goal right now in Gaza, does nothing to end this conflict and bring this war to a close,” Leavitt told reporters.
She added that Trump believed recognition of Palestinian statehood amounted to “more talk and not enough action” from US allies.
