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Tweets of the Week: Macron goes to Washington, Brexit app stalls, and Kate delivers

By Evan Lamos, Jennifer Baker, Michael Ball and Tess Vrbin | EURACTIV.com

27-04-2018

This week, Macron helps Trump plant a tree, Europeans in the UK are un-appy, and William and Kate welcome baby number three.

On Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a scathing criticism of Donald Trump’s ideologies in a speech to US Congress.

He talked about rejecting nationalism, staying in the Iran nuclear deal and protecting the environment from climate change.

He even twisted Trump’s catchphrase and threw it back at him: Make Our Planet Great Again, he said.

The speech was quite a departure from the “hugs, kisses and dandruff” — yes, dandruff — that had highlighted Macron’s visit to Trump.

The two presidents seemed to really hit it off.

Macron gifted Trump an oak tree that the two planted on the White House lawn.

Cue Twitter!

Ideas ranged from a Pink Floyd album.

To a new season of The Sopranos.

Or even the next Wes Anderson film.

And Berlaymonster thought Macron and Trump’s so-called “special relationship” might be bad news for Theresa May.

Speaking of bad news for Theresa May, the never-ending Brexitshambles continued this week.

The Home Office created a UK residency app for EU citizens, but it doesn’t work on iPhones.

James Crisp noted that Apple has a 52% market share in Britain.

52%! Does that statistic ring any bells?…

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said using the app would be as easy as setting up an LK Bennett account.

So apparently people who want to stay in the UK need to know what an LK Bennett account is? asked Dan Leahy.

Trying to stay in your country of residence really shouldn’t be compared to buying something, said Rich Cassidy.

Also in the vein of “should I stay or should I go?”, Theresa May said she still “needs to go through the choreography” of trying to leave the EU customs union even if the UK Parliament votes to stay. In other words: drive the country to the edge of a cliff but slam on the brakes just in time, according to Jonathan Lis.

Finally, Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton welcomed their third child on Monday.

Making their daughter Charlotte the first princess in British history not to be moved down the line of succession with the birth of a younger brother.

The birth was announced to the streets of London by the legendary “town crier.”

… who does not actually work for the royal family, Mark Di Stefano reminded Twitter. He’s just an old geezer who likes fancy dress.

Looks like CBS News didn’t get the memo.

And not everyone got the memo that the Duchess of Cambridge was pregnant.

With the media distracted by the royal baby news, Scene & Heard offered a quick look at the prime minister’s cabinet.

And as of Thursday afternoon, the baby boy’s name had not yet been revealed. A Kate Middleton spoof account tweeted that she would love to release it on the day of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding.

But fellow spoof account Martini Seltzermayr had an idea: Jean-Claude Donald Martin Pleasegiveusatradedeal Mountbatten-Windsor.

This week we are supported by ETNO. Visit their website to read a statement from European CEOs on finalising the Electronic Communications Code.

That’s it for this week. Jen will be back next week, so join her for more headlines and hilarity in the Brussels Bubble Twittersphere and send in your suggestions using the hashtag #EUTweets.

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