France Pulls U.S., Aussie Ambassadors Over ‘Brutal’ Nuclear Sub Deal

In a fit of pique, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced on Friday evening that the country will bring home its ambassadors to the U.S. and Australia over Australia’s decision to buy U.S.-made nuclear submarines instead of conventional ones manufactured in France. The deal between Washington and Canberra followed Australia’s cancellation of a contract with the French, which Le Drian called “unacceptable behavior.”

On Thursday, Le Drian said the move constituted nothing less than a “stab in the back.” “This brutal, unilateral and unpredictable decision reminds me a lot of what Mr. Trump used to do,” he said. “I am angry and bitter. This isn’t done between allies.” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken quickly moved to calm tensions, calling France a “vital partner.”