Angela Charlton/ Sylvie Corbet
PARÍS.- Of everything Emmanuel Macron has accomplished in nearly a year as France’s president, the most important may be his toughlove friendship with Donald Trump.

From their first bone-squeezing handshake to Macron’s recent claim that he persuaded Trump to bomb Syria, it’s been an improbable relationship. And it will be on pomp-filled display starting Monday as Macron goes on a state visit to Washington, the first by any leader since Trump took office.

Macron calls Trump all the time. With other world leaders too wary or weak to woo the impulsive U.S. president, Macron calculates that it’s smarter and safer to talk to Trump than isolate him.

The 40-year-old moderate progressive, who had never held elected office before he won France’s presidential election, defended his overtures to the 71 year old conservative Trump in an interview on Fox News airing Sunday.

“I am not going to judge ... what should be your president, or to consider that because of these controversies or because of these investigations, your president is less credible,” he said.