France is appealing to President Donald Trump not to cut off U.S. military support to French forces fighting Islamist militants in Africa, warning that it could undermine efforts to counter a growing terrorist threat in the Sahel region.
French President Emmanuel Macron urged the White House to maintain logistical and intelligence support that French forces rely on, including U.S. drone flights that provide intelligence and surveillance across the region and U.S. air-to-air refueling that helps keep French aircraft operating. Macron said withdrawing U.S. support would be “really bad news” and that the fight against terrorism also “plays out in this region.”
The French plea comes as Trump administration officials are skeptical of the French counterterrorism mission’s value and have not committed to continued support. Experts noted U.S. involvement can help French troops track al Qaeda and ISIS-linked fighters, while lawmakers raised concerns that broader U.S. drawdowns could create instability and strengthen terrorist groups.
The appeal also reflects the Trump administration’s consideration of a strategic shift away from a global war on terrorism toward countering major-power threats from Russia and China. French leaders, meanwhile, have pressed for a stronger international element in the counterterrorism fight and have argued that continued U.S. assistance is essential to sustaining operations in the Sahel.
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