Macron says he 'hopes to convince' Trump to keep US forces in Africa

French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that he “hopes to convince” his US counterpart Donald Trump to keep American troops in Africa, after a top general said the Pentagon was weighing a troop reduction.

“If the Americans decided to leave Africa, this would be very bad news for us,” Macron said after a summit meeting with leaders of five Sahel nations fighting a mounting Islamist insurgency.

“I hope to convince President Trump that the fight against terrorism is playing out in this region as well,” he said.