President Donald Trump strongly defended his son, Donald Trump Jr., for taking a meeting with a Russian lawyer in June 2016.

Trump Jr. has come under fire for the meeting, reported on Sunday, which he expected would yield some negative information on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

Trump, appearing alongside French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, said Trump Jr. did nothing wrong in the meeting, which he stressed was with a non-government attorney.

[lz_ndn video=32687342]

“It was a short meeting,” said Trump. “From a  practical standpoint, most people would have taken that meeting. It’s called opposition research … I’ve had many people call up. … That’s very standard in politics. Politics is not the nicest business in the world.”

Trump then employed his trademark counterattack, noting that the attorney, Russian Natalia Veselnitskaya, got in with a special visa issued by then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

And Trump noted Veselnitskaya then spent her time in the halls of Congress, lobbying against restrictions on Russian visas. Reports indicate Veselnitskaya received help from former Rep. Ron Dellums (D-Calif.), a longtime liberal activist and Hillary Clinton supporter.

Trump was visiting the French on a state visit, talking trade, terrorism, Russia, and climate change.

Macron told the gathered media that it was a “necessity” to work with Russia and share information, especially since the United States and Russia are trying to rid Syria of ISIS.

In opening statements, Trump said France is the oldest ally of the United States, harkening back to the Revolutionary War.

Who do you think would win the Presidency?

By completing the poll, you agree to receive emails from LifeZette, occasional offers from our partners and that you've read and agree to our privacy policy and legal statement.

The two men admitted differences on the Paris climate accord, from which Trump pulled the United State in June. The non-binding climate accord would have reduced carbon emissions, but Trump said it mostly extracted concessions and money from the United States.

Macron said the nations continue to talk about how to proceed on a new climate deal.

A French journalist asked Trump about his past statements that Paris was not safe from terrorism. The French have suffered a number of tragic attacks committed by ISIS-inspired terrorists.

It was a year ago, on the nation’s celebrated Bastille Day, that a terrorist used a truck to ram though a public celebration in Nice, France, killing 86 people.

“You’re going to be just fine, because you have a great president,” said Trump. “He’s not going to be easy on people that are breaking the laws and people showing this tremendous violence.”

Trump promised to come back to Paris.

“You’re always welcome,” said Macron.

In opening statements, Macron, the young 39-year-old French president, said he was fully determined to fight the war on terrorism and to increase communication between the United States.

[lz_related_box id=”820478″]

Macron also addressed a favorite topic of Trump — the issue of dumping, when foreign nations subsidize cheap steel, aluminum or lumber, and then sell it in competing nations such as France or the United States.

The cheaper products undercut domestic suppliers, causing many of them to go out of business.

Macron said he wanted to share information on which nations were taking part in the predatory behavior of dumping, helping the United States fight the practice.

Trump gave one of his two questions at the bilateral press conference to a Chinese journalist, who asked about Trump’s thoughts on Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Trump praised Xi for allowing American beef and credit card companies into China, for the first time in more than a decade.

“He wants to do what’s right for China,” said Trump. “He could do a little bit more [on North Korea].”

Trump calling on a Chinese journalist during a foreign press conference in France irked some U.S. journalists, but it was likely a way for Trump to send messages to Xi, whom Trump is lobbying to pressure North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program.