The French president’s aviator-clad appearance at the World Economic Forum followed days of scrutiny over an eye condition and came amid renewed diplomatic tensions with the United States
French President Emmanuel Macron took the stage at the World Economic Forum wearing aviator-style sunglasses, days after a visibly bloodshot eye had drawn public attention, as he delivered remarks against the backdrop of renewed tensions with the United States and President Donald Trump.
The 48-year-old president’s appearance came hours after Trump leaked private messages between the two leaders while pressing his claims about acquiring Greenland, adding a diplomatic edge to Macron’s high-profile speech in the Swiss Alps.
Questions over the sunglasses quickly revived focus on an eye condition Macron had addressed publicly days earlier.
During a New Year’s address to France’s armed forces, the president acknowledged his swollen, reddened eye, telling troops at the Istres air base: “Please pardon the unsightly appearance of my eye,” before assuring them, “It is, of course, something completely harmless.”
Macron had earlier been seen wearing sunglasses during an outdoor military inspection the same day, with the irritation still visible.
Seeking to downplay concerns, he later struck a lighter tone, joking, “Simply see an unintentional reference to the ‘Eye of the Tiger’ … For those who catch the reference, it is a sign of determination,” in a nod to the song featured in Rocky III.
Brigitte Macron memes surface
While Macron has explained that he was dealing with an eye issue, his appearance nonetheless reignited online speculation, with some social media users reviving references to the so-called Brigitte Macron “slap” incident.
Last year, a video circulated widely after being amplified by Russian state media and French far-right accounts, showing what appeared to be the French president being shoved by his wife aboard a flight in Hanoi, Vietnam. Brigitte Macron herself was not visible in the footage.
Macron later dismissed the claims, telling reporters the gesture was playful. Officials have said the renewed social media theories are unfounded and have no connection to the president’s decision to wear sunglasses.
With inputs from agencies
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