French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday in Seoul that the remarks made by his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump about his wife are "inappropriate and not up to the standard."

On the first day of his state visit to South Korea, Macron added that these comments "do not deserve a response."

Trump had said that "Macron, whom his wife treats very badly, is still recovering from a heavy punch to his jaw," referring to a video from May 2025 that appeared to show Brigitte Macron punching the French president in the face during a trip to Vietnam. Macron later denied this, calling it part of a disinformation campaign.

Trump mocked the French president and his wife while criticizing NATO ally countries for not joining the war against Iran, which has shaken the Middle East.

During a private lunch, Trump said in a video briefly posted on the White House YouTube channel before access was blocked, "We did not need them, but I asked anyway."

He added, "I called France, Macron, whom his wife treats very badly. He is still recovering from a heavy punch to his jaw."

Trump was referring to a video from May 2025 that appeared to show Brigitte Macron punching the French president in the face during a trip to Vietnam.

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to the press during a visit to the Korean War Memorial in Seoul on April 2, 2026 (AFP)

Trump continued, "And I said… Emmanuel, we would like some help in the Gulf, even though we are breaking records in terms of the number of bad guys we are taking out and the number of ballistic missiles we are destroying. We would like some help. If possible, can you send ships immediately?"

He went on, using a French accent to give Macron’s alleged response: "No, no, no, we cannot do that, Donald. We can do that after the war ends."

He added, "I told him no, no, I don’t need that, Emmanuel, after the war ends." He also described NATO as "a paper tiger," in the latest attack by Trump and his top officials on the alliance since his return to the White House last year.