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French President Emmanuel Macron faced an unusual moment in New York on Monday night after leaving the United Nations headquarters in Midtown Manhattan.

As Macron’s cavalcade moved towards the French Embassy on Fifth Avenue, New York Police Department (NYPD) officers forced the convoy to stop due to blocked roads. The hold-up was not related to protests but because US President Donald Trump’s motorcade was passing through.

Although the distance between the UN headquarters and the French Embassy is just about a mile, the French President had to wait on the street. A NYPD officer approached him, apologising: “I’m sorry, Mr. President, I am sorry. Everything is blocked at the moment.”

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Macron, in town for the 80th UN General Assembly, was en route to the French Embassy when the police halted his car. In now viral footage, making rounds on social media platforms, he could be seen stepping out to ask a police officer what was happening.

Ever the diplomat with a sense of humour, Macron quickly called Trump: “How are you? Guess what, I’m waiting in the street right now because everything is blocked for you.” He even joked, urging Trump to “clear the way.” The outcome of the call remains unknown, but the blockade lasted several minutes before pedestrian traffic was allowed.

For the first time in recent memory, New Yorkers got to see Macron walking the streets without heavy security. Along the way, he paused for selfies, posed for photos, and even allowed one passerby to plant a kiss on his forehead.

The unusual encounter quickly went viral on social media, with netizens having a field day.

One user wrote on X, “Macron stuck in Trump traffic is peak 2025 crossover content. From world summits to bumper-to-bumper honking leaders, they’re just like us.” Another commented, “Macron stuck in Trump traffic is the most 2025 crossover episode nobody asked for. World leaders reduced to honking like the rest of us.”

One user shared a laughing image of President Trump and Vice President JD Vance and wrote, “And then I told him to walk.”

While another observed, “When Trump walks, Macron stands and watches. When Trump talks, Macron listens.” One user even suggested, “Macron better recognise. Money talks, bullshit walks.”

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Shrishti Bisht is a journalist at Zee Biz, where she covers a wide range of topics from IPOs, startups, and market trends to global developments and economic shifts shaping the world. She cl ...LATEST NEWSBy accepting cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.