Donald Trump has labelled French president Emmanuel Macron ‘very insulting’ for EU army comments

Donald Trump has criticised French President Emmanuel Macron for comments he made about Europe needing an army to protect itself from the US, among other countries.

Trump called the comments "very insulting" as he arrived in Paris to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of the first world war with other world leaders. 

On Tuesday, Macron called for a "true" European army as he toured a first world war battle site. 

"We have to protect ourselves with respect to China, Russia and even the United States of America," he said. 

However, the US president has hit back at the remarks as he arrived in France, unhappy with having been lumped in with Russia and China despite the countries history of working together on defence – including NATO.

"President Macron… has just suggested that Europe build its own military in order to protect itself from the US, China and Russia," Mr Trump tweeted from Air Force One. "Very insulting, but perhaps Europe should first pay its fair share of Nato, which the US subsidies greatly!"

He was referring to the fact that in 2017 the US accounted for over 50 percent of NATO's combined GDP and over 70 percent of its combined defence expenditure. They contributed more funds than Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the UK combined.

Asked what he meant when he tweeted that he felt insulted by Macron's comments that Europe should reduce its dependence on the United States for security, Trump said: "We want to help Europe but it has to be fair. Right now the burden sharing has been largely on the United States."

Macron said on Saturday Europe had to take greater responsibility for its own defence, saying he agreed with the need for greater "burden sharing" by Europe in NATO.

"I am obviously going to share with President Trump the proposals made on Europe's strategic defence capabilities and the need for a Europe that is able to take on more of the common burden at the heart of NATO," Macron said ahead of talks with Trump at the Elysee Palace.

Macron previously defended his comments on Tuesday by claiming that the US was threatening to pull out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which he believed would threaten European security.

The US and Russia are the only two countries bound by the 1987 agreement and Trump does not see why the US should be constrained by the treaty if Russia are not adhering to it, especially with other countries including China not a part of it.

Macron is hosting Trump for two days this weekend along with other world leaders in Paris..