French Prez Macron Calls Out Trump and Election Deniers In State Dinner Toast: ‘Shoulder to Shoulder… We Will Prevail’

President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron called out election deniers like former President Donald Trump during his toast at Thursday night’s state dinner.

President Joe Biden welcomed PresidentMacron for the first state dinner of the Biden presidency Thursday night, although the two recently bonded at the G20. President and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden also hosted the Macrons for a private dinner Wednesday night at Fiola Mare, an Italian seafood restaurant on the Georgetown waterfront.

After dinner, President Biden was first to offer a toast during which he talked about the long history of friendship and shared values between the United States and France.

“Today, we’re still united by the greatest causes: democracy, liberty, equality, opportunity, and freedom.  We stand together against oppression and injustice.  We stick up for one another in our — and democratic values to which Washington and Lafayette dedicated their lives. And we still strive to build a world that’s worthy of our highest hopes and of our future, knowing that we can always, always count on one another as allies and friends,” Biden said.

He drew a laugh when he said “please join me in raising our glasses, which neither one of us have,” then completed the toast once he and Macron were provided their champagne.

Macron spoke next, and for some reason got a huge laugh by opening with “Mr. President, dear Joe; Madam First Lady, dear Jill; ladies and gentlemen; distinguished members: I — I do hope you had a great dinner.”

He then echoed much of what Biden had said, but made unmistakable reference to Trump and the election deniers who were largely turned away during the midterms several weeks ago:

And when these principles were at risk in my country, you came and did the same. And in a lot of places today, these principles are at risk or challenged. Even in our societies, in our democracies, a lot of people just want to jeopardize or revert on this principle, challenge and contest elections and so on.

We stand together, shoulder to shoulder, precisely to be entitled to say, at the same time, “We the people” and “Liberté, égalité, fraternité.” (Applause.)

This is why this evening we are not just honored and moved, but we feel the importance of this moment. It means a lot for all of us, because this is our history, this is our shared life, because a lot of you have beloved on the other side of the oceans or share your life between our countries.

But this is how to build our future and how to work together for climate, to fight against inequality, for inclusive societies, to unify our nations. Shoulder to shoulder, we will do so and we will prevail.

Watch above via C-SPAN.

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