Trump, Macron meet with Iran nuclear deal high on agenda

President Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron are meeting at the White House on Tuesday on day two of the French president’s visit to Washington as part of the Trump administration’s first state visit.  Mr. Trump and Macron are slated to meet in the Oval Office and later in the Cabinet Room after the president and first lady receive the French delegation at the White House Tuesday morning.

The two leaders are expected to discuss both diplomatic and international issues relating to the U.S.-French relationship, including the Iran nuclear deal, trade and the Paris accord. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office with Macron, Mr. Trump said the U.S. never should have entered the Iran deal. Asked if he is considering staying in it though, Mr. Trump gave no definitive answer.

“We’re going to be talking about it and we’ll see,” he said.

Mr. Trump also shot down a question from ABC News’ Jonathan Karl as to whether he would consider a pardon for Michael Cohen, his personal lawyer who is under a federal criminal investigation.

“Stupid question,” the president snapped.

Mr. Trump praised his French counterpart, and said the relationship between the two nations had never been closer.

“He did a good job, a great job,” the president said of Macron. “He’s going to be a great president of France. Only a prediction.”

On Monday, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said there “should be a better deal” when it comes to the Iran nuclear agreement. Macron, a supporter of the agreement, is expected to raise the issue of the possibility of the U.S. withdrawal from the pact.

“We think there should be a better deal, one that’s positive, that works,” Sanders said at Monday’s press briefing. “We don’t look to the leadership of Iran to determine what our policy is.”

Sanders predicted the two leaders would have “very open and candid conversations” about the Iran deal during the official visit on Tuesday. She added, however, that the president has been “extremely clear” that the current plan is a bad deal and “that certainly has not changed.”