At the World Economic Forum, Macron urged Europe to protect its interests, criticised US trade threats, and called for cooperation over “bullies” and “brutality,” amid the Greenland dispute and Trump’s tariffs on French wine
French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday called on Europe to “not hesitate to deploy” tools to protect its interests and mocked the Trump administration in a pointed address at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday, amid escalating trade threats and diplomatic fallout over private messages made public.
According to a Euro News report, speaking to a packed audience, Macron, wearing aviator glasses, denounced US competition, saying it seeks to “subordinate Europe.”
He pushed for greater innovation and private investment, stressing that “Europe clearly has to fix its key issues.” While he did not name Trump directly, the French leader took several veiled swipes at the US president throughout his speech, added the report.
Opening with humor, Macron said, “It’s time of peace, stability and predictability,” prompting laughter. Yet he warned that the world has drifted toward “instability and imbalance” and that “conflict has become normalised.”
Highlighting the dozens of wars that plagued 2025, he added, “I hear some of them have been settled.”
Later, he stressed, “It’s not a time for new imperialism or new colonialism. This is a time of cooperation in order to fix these three global challenges for our fellow citizens.”
Macron concluded with a pointed message: “We do prefer respect to bullies. And we do prefer rule of law to brutality.”
Trump tensions escalate
His remarks follow Trump posting private messages between the two leaders regarding Greenland and a proposed G7 meeting in Paris that would include Russian representatives.
Macron had written to Trump, “My friend … I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland. Let us try to build great things.”
The spat comes after France declined to join Trump’s Board of Peace initiative, prompting threats of 200% tariffs on French wine and champagne. Trump told reporters, “Well, nobody wants him because he’s going to be out of office very soon. I’ll put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes and he’ll join.”
Ahead of his Davos speech, the Elysee criticised the tariff strategy, calling it “anti-cooperation and a fundamentally flawed method,” while noting it reinforces Macron’s long-standing advocacy for European strategic autonomy.
French officials have proposed activating the EU’s anti-coercion instrument, a mechanism that could restrict US companies’ operations in Europe.
The clash over Greenland comes as Macron strengthens France’s military presence in the Arctic, with around 15 soldiers already deployed in Nuuk and additional assets being reinforced.
Speaking at Istres Air Base, he said, “To remain free, one must be feared, and to be feared, one must be powerful. To be powerful in this brutal world, we must act faster and stronger,” outlining €36 billion in additional military spending through 2030.
Macron’s address sets the stage for Trump’s special speech on Wednesday, expected to dominate the five-day forum. Whether Macron will meet Trump in Davos remains unclear, though sources did not rule out discussions on Ukraine. Washington has sent its largest-ever delegation to the Swiss Alps, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff.
With inputs from agencies
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