Mr Lecornu, 39, is the youngest defence minister in French history and architect of a major military build-up through to 2030, spurred on by Russia's war in Ukraine. A former conservative who joined Mr Macron's centrist movement in 2017, he has held posts in local governments, overseas territories and during the president's yellow vest "great debate", where he helped manage mass anger with dialogue.
The bill, which makes the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent and provides a big funding boost for border security and national defense, was bitterly opposed by Thomas Massie (R-KY) in the House and Rand Paul (R-KY) in the Senate because of its dismal fiscal implications: an estimated $3.3 trillion increase in the national debt over the next decade.
