My answer to your first question would be that I imagine that the US government sees your friend's French pension as your friend's asset, which it is. And that the US tax payer should not be asked to put tax dollars into topping up her pension when she is perfectly capable of doing it herself with the French pension. Whether or not she is actually claiming the French pension which is rightfully hers is not a relevant concern of the US government.
My answer to your second question is that both GMXam, who knows about these things and I, who is only guessing, say you need to read and understand the US governments own information pages and help sheets amongst other things and the fact that you are asking this question suggests to me that you have not yet done this.
My question to you. Throughout this thread and the preceding one I've had the feeling that you are trying to fit the square peg of US government policy and practice into the round hole of your world view of how you think things ought to be. If I am wrong, I apologise. But you could demonstrate that I am wrong by asking questions that are clearly based on your interaction with the relevant and helpful material that is out there. Or by coming back and saying "Ah yes" I've read 'X' and 'Y' and 'Z' and I understand now."
