Biden tells France the US was ’clumsy’ in handling Aukus deal

Joe Biden has moved to repair his damaged personal and political relationship with Emmanuel Macron by acknowledging that the announcement of a security and technology pact that blindsided France was a ’clumsy’ episode handled with a lack of grace. The US president and his French counterpart met at France’s Vatican embassy in Rome on Friday, ahead of the G20 leaders’ summit this weekend, for their first in-person discussion since an astonished Macron was left feeling betrayed and humiliated by September’s security deal Biden admits to Macron the US was ‘clumsy’ in Aukus submarine deal