President Donald Trump needled French President Emmanuel Macron over a heated dispute about accepting captured ISIS fighters – offering to 'give them to you' – after kicking off meetings in London with an attack his 'nasty' comments about NATO.

But the two national leaders appeared to patch things up after Trump's fighting words in the morning at the start of a day of meetings. The two sparred during a joint news conference, but Trump cast a trade row as a 'minor dispute' that would soon be looking 'rosy.'

By the evening, Trump offered the French president a ride in the 'Beast,' his government armored limousine, on a ride to 10 Downing Street for a reception with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Earlier, seated alongside Macron on his first day of meetings here, Trump took a dig at Macron for France and other European nations being reluctant to accept nationals from their own countries who joined the fight alongside ISIS terrorists.

Trump turned to his counterpart and asked: 'Would you like some nice ISIS fighters? I could give them to you.'

President Donald Trump (R) France's President Emmanuel Macron react as they talk during their meeting at Winfield House, London on December 3, 2019. Trump told Macron: 'Would you like some nice ISIS fighters?' as he pushed to have France and other nations accept captured terrorists from their own countries

The moment came hours after Trump had blasted Macron for previous comments that NATO was suffering 'brain death' – although the two leaders appeared to patch things up afterward.

Trump made his remark about ISIS after pressing France to accept the return of more of its countrymen and women, and pledging they were currently being held under 'lock and key.'

'We have a tremendous amount of captured fighters, ISIS fighters over in Syria. And they are all under lock and key but many are from France, many from Germany and many are from the U.K. They’re mostly from Europe. And some of the countries are agreeing. I have not spoken to the president about that. Would you like some nice ISIS fighters? I can give them to you. You can take every one you want,' Trump quipped.

That drew a caution from Macron.

Macron hitched a ride with the Trumps aboard 'the Beast,' according to a pool reporter who was there, after a day filled with tensions

Defense Commitment: Trump gave Macron a ride in his government armored limo

'Let’s be serious,' the French leader scolded, before outlining his own position. 'It is true you have a current fighters coming from Europe. But it’s a minority problem of the overall problem we have. And I think the number one priority because it is not yet finished is to get rid of ISIS,' Macron lectured, as Trump listened to a translation of his remarks.

Trump has previously declared victory over ISIS, only to say a contingent of U.S. forces would remain.

'And it is not done, I'm sorry to say that,' Macron told him. 'Your number one problem are not the foreign fighters, it is the ISIS fighters in the region and you have more and more of these fighters due to the situation today,' he said.

The comment drew a counter from Trump. 'It's why he is a great politician. That was one of the greatest non-answers I've ever heard and that's okay,' Trump said.

'France has taken back some fighters, actually. We have a lot of fighters, he said, before noting that U.S. and allied forces captured '100 per cent of the caliphate.

Trump's Macron meeting was one of three bilateral sit-downs where he spoke and fielded questions from reporters for a total of two hours, flooding the media landscape on a week when House Democrats are proceeding with impeachment at home.

He called that effort a 'disgrace,' and called House Intelligence Chair Adam Schiff 'a maniac,' saying of the man who presided over impeachment hearings: 'I think Adam Schiff is a deranged human being.'

During a separate meeting with Canadian President Justin Trudeau, Trump called Canada 'slightly delinquent,' even as he went after other nations for paying less than a 2 percent of GDP commitment on defense.

Trump was non-definitive when asked he would favor invoking the treaty's mutual defense commitment to come to the aid of a nation that was behind on its defense spending.

'You know we'll be discussing that today and it's a very interesting question isn't it?' Trump responded.

'Some are way below 1 per cent and that's unacceptable. And then if something happens we're supposed to protect them and it's not really fair and it never has been fair and they're paying up,' Trump complained.

Trump made the comment after taking a victory lap and announcing $130 billion of additional annual commitments by NATO members, after foreign heads of state gamed out how to manage the treaty organization's most vocal critic in advance of this week's meetings.

He singled out Germany, whose NATO contributions have hovered around 1 per cent. ''They would owe us money. You're talking about - really you're talking about trillions of dollars,' Trump said, bringing up compounded past years of sub-2 per cent spending. 'Nobody has ever brought that up. They just keep talking about the present,' he said.

President Donald Trump, at a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Trump was non-definitive when asked he would favor invoking the treaty's mutual defense commitment to come to the aid of a nation that was behind on its defense spending

Trump's tense exchange with Macron came after Trump kicked off his diplomatic meetings with NATO members in London by blasting French President Emanuel Macron for his own comments that the alliance was risking suffering 'brain death.'

Macron in an interview had said NATO was suffering 'brain death,' highlighted a split over Turkey, and said the treaty alliance must remained unified.

'You just can't go around making statements like that against NATO. It's very disrespectful,' Trump groused at the start of two days of meeting with world leaders, including Macron.

Trump called it a 'very, very nasty statement to essentially 28, including them, 28 countries' that are part of NATO. He spoke at his first bilateral meeting, with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

Contentious: Donald Trump lashed out at Emmanuel Macron at his first meeting at the NATO 70th anniversary summit in London, when he spoke with reporters before a private session with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg at Winfield House in London, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019. US President Donald Trump will join other NATO heads of state at Buckingham Palace in London on Tuesday to mark the NATO Alliance's 70th birthday

Outspoken: Donald Trump started the NATO 70th anniversary summit with an attack on Emmanuel Macron

Entourage: Among those with the president in London are the U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

Also there: Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney is with the president and was seen at the meeting in Winfield House, the U.S. Ambassador to London's residence

DONALD TRUMP'S DAY AT NATO SUMMIT 9:10am (London time) One-on-one meeting with NATO's Secretary-General 9:30am Working breakfast with NATO Secretary-General 11:00am Trump departs Winfield House to the InterContinental Hotel on London's Park Lane 11:15am Trump arrives at the InterContinental London Park Lane 11:30am Roundtable with supporters 12:05pm Trump departs InterContinental for Winfield House 12.20pm Trump arrives at Winfield House 2pm Bilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron 2.20pm Macron meeting opens to press 3.30pm Bilateral meeting with Candian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 4.55pm Trump and First Lady depart Winfield House for Clarence House 5:10pm Trump and First Lady arrive at Clarence House 5:15pm Couple have tea with Prince Charles and Camilla 5:50pm Couple depart Clarence House for Buckingham Palace 6:00pm Trump and First Lady attend NATO leaders' Reception hosted by Her Majesty The Queen 7:35pm Trump departs Palace for 10 Downing Street 7:40pm Trump and Melania arrive at Downing Street 7:45pm Couple attend NATO leaders' reception hosted by PM Boris Johnson 9:05pm Couple depart Downing Street for Winfield House 9.30pm Couple return to Winfield House Advertisement

'I heard that President Macron said that NATO was brain dead,' Trump said, in a long back-and-forth with reporters. 'I think that is very insulting towards a lot of different forces,' he added.

Trump rapped Macron for his words and ripped the French economy while also brandishing U.S. economic power in a growing trade spat with Paris.

'It's a tough statement though when you make a statement like that,' Trump complained.

'Nobody needs NATO more than France. You just look back over the long period of time,' Trump said. 'Frankly the one that benefits really the least is the United States.'

'We benefit the least. We’re helping Europe. Europe unites when they go against a common foe ... That may or may not be a foe,' Trump said, in a presumed reference to Russia.

Trump said of France: 'It's a very tough statement to make when you have such difficulty in France.

'They’ve had a very rough year,' and brought up the 'yellow vest' protests, said France had a high unemployment rate, and said it was 'not doing well economically.

He referenced new tariff escalations being recommended by U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer Monday. They include new tariffs on French champagne, wine, cheese, and other products totaling $2.4 billion.

'We're doing their wines and everything else,' Trump said. 'You just can't go around making statements like that against NATO. It's very disrespectful.'

Trump also teed off on France's digital services tax which he said is unfair to U.S. tech giants like Facebook, Google, and Twitter.

'I'm not going to let people take advantage of American companies. Because if anybody's going to take advantage of American companies, it's going to be us,' Trump said.

Trump at first pretended not to know who had made the brain death comment when asked about it by reporters in an extended availability.

Then he allowed: 'I heard that President Macron said that NATO was brain dead. I think that is very insulting towards a lot of different forces.'

The president also invoked Turkish president Recep Erdogan, who pushed back earlier against Macron's comments.

'Who said that?' Trump said when first confronted with the comment. 'Turkey responded by saying that he was brain dead, which is interesting,' Trump said.

Hitting the French: Donald Trump touched down with his wife Melania for the NATO summit in London just before the announcement his administration wants to hit France with $2.4 billion in tariffs - with a meeting with Emmanuel Macron scheduled for Tuesday morning

Silicon Valley target: Emmanuel Macron's government is acting over concern in his country that internet giants such as Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook are not paying their fair share of tax

Blue cheese hit: Roquefort, a blue cheese made from sheep's milk is among the targets of Trump's tariffs

Macron made his comments in a lengthy interview with The Economist.

'What we are currently experiencing is the brain death of NATO,' he told the magazine. He issued the warning in part by citing increasing uncertainty about the role U.S. would play. He said it was time for Europe to 'wake up.' Otherwise, he said, we will 'no longer be in control of our destiny.'

Trump also firmly defended NATO, even after drawing criticism during his first year in office for failing to unequivocally state his belief in its Article Five mutual defense provisions.

'NATO serves a great purpose,' Trump said, lauding his own efforts to cajole allies into spending more on military defense.

Just hours later, as he met with Macron one-on-one, Trump took a softer line on both trade and the NATO comments.

'We do a lot of trade with France and we have minor dispute. I think we'll probably be able to work it out but we have a big trade relationship and I'm sure that within a short period of time things will be looking very rosy,' Trump said. 'We hope. That's usually the case with the two of us. We get it worked out.'

Trump said he liked how a lot of NATO countries had 'stepped up' their military commitments.

Macron defended his statement at length, but steered clear of repeating the 'brain death' comment.

'My statement created some reaction – taken literally - from a lot of people. I do stand by. And I have to say when you look at what NATO is and should be, first of all this is a burden we share... I am a strong supporter of a stronger European component in NATO and which is exactly what we are doing. But when we speak about NATO it is not just about money. We have to be respectful of our soldiers ... When I look at the situation in Syria, Iraq – France is definitely present,' he said.

'I’m sorry to say that we don’t have the same definition of terrorism…. When I look at Turkey, they are now fighting against those who fought with us,' he said of the NATO ally.

'I kept the oil': Donald Trump defends U.S. withdrawal that exposed Kurdish allies amid pressure on Turkey at NATO meetings and says remaining forces will battle ISIS whenever 'they pop up again'

President Donald Trump defended his policy on Turkey as the NATO ally faces scrutiny from member nations – and repeated his assertion that he 'kept the oil' inside Syrian territory.

The president proclaimed: 'We can do with the oil that we want' – although the Pentagon said last month that Syrian Democratic Forces were getting revenue generated by oil facilities occupied inside Syria.

Trump was asked at the start of NATO meetings in London if Turkey is a dependable member of the treaty organization, prompting him to defend both Turkey's actions that have rankled the alliance and his own policy moves.

'It's a country I have a good relationship with,' Trump said. 'We did a deal that everybody was critical of. And it works.

'I want to get our soldiers out of there. I wanted to keep the oil. Now, they say, that was a great deal that Trump made.'

He said he 'would hope' that Turkish President Recep Erdogan 'will be a good member of the NATO.

'I kept the oil' in relation to Syrian supplies being guarded by U.S. troops who remain there

He defended his pullout from the northern border with Syria, which precipitated a Turkish invasion that led to attacks on Kurdish U.S. allies who had battled ISIS alongside U.S. forces.

'We left their border. We've been on their border long enough. They're doing just fine on their border. We kept the oil. I kept the oil,' Trump said of oil fields inside Syria that the U.S. is guarding to keep out of the hands of ISIS.

Although Trump has said ISIS has been defeated, he spoke Tuesday of residual forces.

'The only people we have over there now, we have a few, a small group that are fighting the remnants of ISIS because they pop up again, and we put them down. We've defeated the ISIS caliphate. Nobody thought we could do that ... I did it very quickly. When I came in it was virtually 100 per cent and I knocked it down to zero.

U.S. coalition airstrikes began against ISIS in 2014. By December of 2017, ISIS had lost 95 per cent of its territory, according to a Wilson Center timeline.

'ISIS was trying to gain control of the oil. We have the control of the oil. The only soldiers that we have are the soldiers keeping the oil. We have the oil, and we can do with the oil that we want,' Trump said.

Syrian oil production is just a fraction of its pre-war levels, according to a BBC analysis.

Trump made similar claims last month alongside Erdogan at the White House, when he said: 'We’re keeping the oil. We have the oil.' The Pentagon said after those comments that oil revenues would in fact go to the Syrian Democratic Forces.

'The revenue from this is not going to the US. This is going to the SDF,' the Pentagon said.

Trump also appeared to defend Turkey's position with respect to a Russian missile defense system that conflicts with the F-35 fighter that Trump called the best military aircraft in the world.

He said Turkey was 'shut off' from buying U.S.-made Patriot missiles during the Obama administration, essentially forcing it into Russia's hands. He said he 'may' meet with Erdogan at the summit, although a bilateral meeting is not on his official schedule.

Asked if saw greater divisions between the U.S. and Europe over NATO, Trump responded in the negative, then added: 'But I do see France breaking off. I'm looking at him [Macron] and I'm saying, he needs protection more than anybody and I see him breaking off.'

Donald Trump DENIES knowing Prince Andrew despite chatting with him on state visit THIS YEAR and being pictured with him and Jeffrey Epstein in Palm Beach in 2000

Donald Trump today denied knowing Prince Andrew despite meeting him in June this year.

The US President was asked for his thoughts on the Duke of York stepping down from royal duties at a NATO press conference in London this morning.

He said: 'I don't know Prince Andrew,' before describing his links with convicted US pedophile Jeffrey Epstein as a 'tough story'.

But the US leader was photographed smiling and shaking hands with Andrew, 59, at Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace during his state visit to London in June.

The pair were also pictured together alongside First Lady Melania in Palm Beach, Florida in 2000 at a party also attended by sex offender Epstein and his then-girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell.

It comes the day after Prince Andrew's accuser Virginia Roberts Guiffre told BBC's Panorama program she was sexually abused by him.

Donald Trump was photographed smiling and shaking hands with Andrew, 59, at Westminster Abbey in June

The pair were also pictured together alongside First Lady Melania in Palm Beach, Florida in 2000 at a party also attended by sex offender Epstein (second right)

Trump is pictured next to Prince Andrew at Westminster Abbey on June 3 this year

Other images of Trump and Andrew together include one at Buckingham Palace where he also met former Prime Minister Theresa May.

Other people Trump 'doesn't know' Anthony Scaramucci US financier and Trump supporter Antony Scaramucci was appointed White House Communications Director in July 2017. He was fired after just two weeks after calling reporters and slating some members of Trump's administration. Trump said on Twitter: 'Anthony Scaramucci is a highly unstable 'nut job...'I barely knew him.' Gordon Sondland When Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union, testified to Trump's impeachment trial, the President was quizzed on his testimony. But Trump simply replied: 'I don't know him very well. I have not spoken to him much. This is not a man I know well. He seems like a nice guy though. But I don't know him well.' Just a month earlier, Trump described him as a 'really good man' and a 'great American', who he would happily see testify in the inquiry. Jeffrey Epstein Trump called paedophile Jeffrey Epstein a 'terrific guy' in 2002. He said he had known the billionaire for 15 years and was a 'lot of fun to be with'. But after Epstein was arrested on sex trafficking charges he tried to distance himself from him. He later said: 'I knew him like everybody in Palm Beach knew him. I had a falling out with him a long time ago. I don't think I have spoken with him for 15 years. I was not a fan.' Stormy Daniels Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, is a porn star who claims she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006, while he was married to his wife Melania. Trump has denied her claims and said in 2018: 'I had nothing to do with her. So she can lie and she can do whatever she wants to do.' But he paid his former lawyer Michael Cohen $130,000 to give her money as part of a non-disclosure agreement. George Papadopoulos Trump hired George Papadopoulos as an aide on his foreign policy team during the 2016 presidential election campaign. He described him as an 'excellent guy' and tweeted a picture of them together at a national security meeting. But after Papadopoulos was sentenced to two weeks in prison for lying to the FBI about contact with the Russians, Trump changed his mind. He told Fox News: 'I never even talked to the guy. I didn't know who he was.' Paul Manafort Manafort was Trump's campaign chairman for five months and was regularly in contact with him. But when he was sentenced to more than three years in prison for fraud, Trump said: 'I didn't know Manafort well. He wasn't with the campaign long.' Matthew Whitaker Matthew Whitaker spent a year as chief of staff to US Attorney General Jeff Sessions. But when things turned sour between the pair in November 2018, Trump fired him and he appointed Whitaker as acting Attorney General. After just three months Whitaker was replaced and Trump said of him: 'I don't know Matt Whitaker.' George Conway George Conway is a US attorney believed to have made Trump's shortlist for the position of Solicitor General. But he has turned out to be one of Trump's biggest critics, branding him a 'narcissistic sociopath'. Conway is married to Kellyanne Conway who was Trump's campaign manager in 2016 and is still one of his top advisors. Trump tweeted: 'I barely know him. But just take a look, a stone cold LOSER & husband from hell!' Advertisement

There are several others of them walking through the grounds of the Palace as Trump prepared to meet the Queen in June, which were also tweeted out from the Duke of York's official account.

Trump's comments came this morning Trump while he sat down with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg for a press conference at Winfield House.

He was asked about the UK General Election, Brexit, the NHS and Jeremy Corbyn but refused to give much away.

The President denied knowing 'anything about' Mr Corbyn, despite tweeting about him and discussing him on his interview with Nigel Farage on LBC this year.

He said: 'I know nothing about the gentleman, Jeremy Corbyn.'

On the Election he said he 'didn't want to complicate it' and that he is 'staying out of it', while resting assured 'Boris will do a good job'.

There has been widespread anxiety at Tory HQ over a potential upset to Boris Johnson's election campaign.

They feared Trump might say something controversial, but he insisted: 'I'm staying out of it.'

He denied the NHS would be on the table in post-Brexit trade talks, as claimed by Jeremy Corbyn and his 450-page leaked document, saying: 'If you handed it to us on a silver platter, we want nothing to do with it.'

The President's claims he 'doesn't know' Andrew came after fresh humiliation for the Duke and the rest of the royal family last night.

Virginia Roberts Guiffre, now 35, described her alleged encounters with the Prince in excruciating detail on TV yesterday evening.

She branded him 'hideous and sweaty', and said she was forced to have sex with him three times.

One of the times, after a night out at Tramp nightclub in London, she was just 17.

Prince Andrew has consistently denied the claims, telling Newsnight during his car crash interview that he had no recollection of ever meeting her.

A picture of them together he claims has been doctored.

But Ms Roberts Guiffre insisted she was 'grossed out' by dancing with the sweat-soaked royal and felt sick at realising she was expected to have sex with him aged 17.

She told Panorama last night she is being pressured to keep quiet, saying: 'The people on the inside are going to keep coming up with these ridiculous excuses. I mean, come on, I'm calling BS [bulls**t] on this, because that's what it is. He knows what happened. I know what happened and there's only one of us telling the truth, and I know that's me.'

She said Epstein's then-girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell told her she had to have sex with Andrew the way she had been forced into doing with him.

The married mother told the programme: 'In the car Ghislaine tells me that I have to do for Andrew what I do for Jeffrey.

'And that made me sick. I didn't expect it from royalty. I didn't expect it from someone that people look up to and admire - the royal family.'

She said: 'There was a bath and it started there and it led into the bedroom. It didn't last very long the whole entire procedure. It was disgusting.

'He wasn't mean or anything. But he got up and said thanks and walked out. And I sat there in bed just felt horrified and ashamed and felt dirty.'

She added: 'I had just been abused by a member of the royal family.'

She also told the BBC that she knew she 'had to keep him happy because that's what Jeffrey and Ghislaine (Maxwell, Epstein's then-girlfriend) would have expected from me.'

It is not just Prince Andrew and Jeremy Corbyn that Trump claims he 'doesn't know'.

He has repeatedly claimed he isn't acquainted with people he has previously met or tweeted about several times.

After being photographed with Jeffrey Epstein in 2000 he told New York Magazine he was a 'terrific guy' and that he had known the billionaire for 15 years.

But after his first arrest for sex trafficking underage girls he denied knowing him very well and said he 'wasn't a fan'.

He has done the same with several former members of his staff.

US financier and Trump supporter Antony Scaramucci was appointed White House Communications Director in July 2017.

But he was fired after just two weeks for calling reporters and slating some members of Trump's administration.

The Duke of York is pictured next to Trump and wife Melania attending a memorial at Westminster Abbey on June 3

Trump and the First Lady are pictured greeting members of the church outside Westminster Abbey in June, with Prince Andrew just behind them

Trump later said on Twitter: 'Anthony Scaramucci is a highly unstable 'nut job...'I barely knew him.'

Trump hired George Papadopoulos as an aide on his foreign policy team during his 2016 presidential election campaign.

He described him as an 'excellent guy' and tweeted a picture of them together at a national security meeting.

But after Papadopoulos was sentenced to two weeks in prison for lying to the FBI about contact with the Russians, Trump changed his mind.

He told Fox News: 'I never even talked to the guy. I didn't know who he was.'

Matthew Whitaker spent a year as chief of staff to US Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Sessions was the first person to hold that position in Trump's presidency.

But when things turned sour between the pair in November 2018, Trump fired him and he appointed Whitaker as acting Attorney General instead.

After just three months Whitaker was replaced and Trump said of him: 'I don't know Matt Whitaker.'

During his previous visit to the UK, he denied knowing minister Michael Gove despite being photographed doing the thumbs up with him after he interviewed him while he worked as a journalist for The Times.

Donald Trump says China trade deal can wait until after 2020 election and global stock markets take tumble in response

Global stocks took a tumble on Tuesday amid pessimism over a standoff between the U.S. and China and new tensions between the U.S. and France on tariffs.

President Donald Trump appeared to downplay the chances for a deal to end the U.S.-China trade war before the end of the year and even said it could wait until after the 2020 presidential election.

Speaking in London where he is attending a NATO summit, Trump said that the only limiting factor to reaching an agreement with China is whether he wants to make a deal.

President Donald Trump - at a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg - downplayed chances for an to the U.S.-China trade war soon

Global stocks took a tumble amid after his remarks

Asked about his previous goal of reaching an agreement by years' end, Trump told reporters, 'I have no deadline, no.'

'In some ways I like the idea of waiting until after the election,' he added. He has previously suggested that China wanted to wait until after the election to negotiate a deal.

'I'm doing very well in a deal with China, if I want to make it. If I want to make. It's not if they want to make it,' the president said at a breakfast meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. 'It's if I want to make it. We'll see what happens. But I'm doing a well if I want to make a deal. I don't know if I want to make it.'

France´s CAC 40 fell 0.3% to 5,770, while Britain´s FTSE 100 tumbled nearly 1% 7,216. Germany´s DAX gained 0.6% to 13,045.

U.S. shares were headed for losses at the open, with Dow futures slipping 0.4% to 27,684. S&P 500 futures lost 0.3% to 3,105.

Tensions between the two nations flared anew last week after Trump signed legislation expressing U.S. support for pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong.

Investors have been hoping that the world´s two biggest economies can make progress toward at least staving off new tariffs scheduled for Dec. 15 on $160 billion worth of Chinese products, including smartphones and laptops.

The Trump administration has also proposed tariffs on $2.4 billion in goods in retaliation for a French tax on global tech giants including Google, Amazon and Facebook.

France´s finance minister threatened a 'strong European riposte' if the U.S. follows through on a proposal to hit French cheese, Champagne, handbags and other products with tariffs of up to 100%.

The move is likely to increase tensions between the U.S. and Europe - and set the stage for a likely tense meeting Tuesday between President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Trump said a deal could wait until after the 2020 election

U.S. stocks also took a tumble when the market opened

In Asia, tensions had already flared after China retaliated for U.S. support of protesters in Hong Kong, putting investors in a selling mood. Asian regional markets are generally hurt by declines in trade and the slowdown in the Chinese economy that might cause.

Japan´s benchmark Nikkei 225 lost 0.6% to finish at 23,379.81. Australia´s S&P/ASX 200 slid 2.2% to 6,712.30. South Korea´s Kospi declined 0.4% to 2,084.07. Hong Kong´s Hang Seng fell 0.2% to 26,391.30, while the Shanghai Composite recovered earlier losses to inch up 0.3% to 2,884.70.