US politicians are unable to stand up to Donald Trump, a French lawmaker said, after the viral success of a speech where he damned the US president as presiding over “Nero’s court” and described his advisor, Elon Musk, as a “buffoon on ketamine”.
The main chamber of France’s upper house, the Senate, is usually the venue for stately discussion rather than speeches that go viral worldwide.
But senator Claude Malhuret, a veteran politician who sits with a faction aligned with President Emmanuel Macron in the Senate, last week grabbed global attention due to his colourful choice of language.
“Washington has become Nero’s court, with an incendiary emperor, submissive courtiers and a buffoon on ketamine in charge of purging the civil service,” he said in the speech.
He was comparing Trump to notoriously tyrannical Roman emperor Nero.
He also made reference to Musk, owner of social media platform X and the world’s richest person, who has been put in charge of Trump’s federal cost-cutting efforts.
Given English subtitles by social media users, the speech by Malhuret — a former minister, MP and mayor — has been viewed millions of times and also broadcast by international news networks.
AFP
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