may 16, 1793 - Citizen Genêt Affair

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The Citizen Genêt affair occurred in 1793 when Edmond-Charles Genêt, the French ambassador to the United States, attempted to bypass diplomatic protocols by appealing directly to American citizens to support France’s wars against Britain and Spain. His actions, which included outfitting privateers and organizing American expeditions against Spain’s territories, strained U.S.-French relations and led to his recall, underscoring the challenges the young U.S. government faced in maintaining neutrality during the European conflicts.

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