France Tells Ambassadors to U.S., Australia to Return Home Amid 'Crisis' with America

The ambassadors were recalled after Australia scrapped a deal with France for conventional submarines in favor of a nuclear submarine deal using U.S.

Earlier Friday, a top French diplomat spoke with AP, saying there is a "crisis" in relations between the U.S.

The diplomat spoke anonymously in line with government practices, and said for Paris, Australia's decision to make a deal with the U.S.

Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said in a written statement that the French decision, on request from President Emmanuel Macron, "is justified by the exceptional seriousness of the announcements" made by Australia and the United States.

Last year, France recalled its ambassador to Turkey after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Macron needed mental health treatment.

The French diplomat said Friday that Macron received a letter from Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday morning announcing the decision to cancel the submarine deal.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, expressing the importance of its submarine program with Australia, the diplomat said.

The French diplomat said Australia never mentioned to France its shift to nuclear-powered submarines, including during a meeting between Macron and Morrison in Paris on June 15