France says Trump should have shown 'decency' on Paris attacks anniversary

By Michel Rose

PARIS (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump, who attacked his French counterpart in a series of tweets on Tuesday, should have shown "common decency" instead since the country was mourning the anniversary of deadly attacks in Paris, a French government spokesman said.

In five posts sent on the same day France marked the anniversary of the 2015 attacks that killed 130 people, Trump blasted the key U.S. ally over its near defeat to Germany in two world wars, its wine industry and President Emmanuel Macron's approval ratings.

When asked on Wednesday about the U.S. leader's Twitter posts, French government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux was critical.

"Yesterday was November 13, we were marking the murder of 130 of our people," Griveaux said. "So I'll reply in English: 'common decency' would have been appropriate."

Trump posted the tweets after returning to Washington from a weekend in Paris to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One where strained relations between the American president and European allies were on full display.

On Tuesday, he rejected Macron's warnings against the threat of nationalism, made during an emotional ceremony in the French capital on Sunday attended by scores of world leaders.

Trump, who has promoted an "America First" policy, pointed to Macron's recent comments about Europe's need to protect itself, tweeting "it was Germany in World Wars One & Two - How did that work out for France? They were starting to learn German in Paris before the U.S. came along. Pay for NATO or not!"

(Reporting by Michel Rose; Editing by John Irish and Marie-Louise Gumuchian)