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French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that Europe will not allow bullies or fear, in harsh criticism of US President Donald Trump for imposing tariffs if Europe does not allow him to take Greenland.
While other European leaders tried to maintain a moderate tone to prevent the trans-Atlantic conflict from escalating, Macron came out swinging.
France, and Europe, will not “peacefully accept the rule of the strong,” Macron said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, adding that doing otherwise would lead to “their exploitation.”
Instead, he said, Europe will continue to stand for territorial sovereignty and the rule of law, despite what he called a transition to a lawless world. That could include the EU’s future response to steep trade sanctions.
“We prefer respect to bullies,” Macron said. “And we choose law over cruelty.”
Macron was wearing sunglasses when he spoke, which the Élysée Palace said protected his eyes due to burst blood vessels.
He delivered the speech after Trump threatened higher tariffs on French wine and champagne and sent private messages from Macron, a rare breach of diplomatic discretion.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that the European Union should not bow to ‘too strong a law.’ He told the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that it was surprising that the EU should have considered using its ‘anti-coercion tool’ against the US (Macron wears dark glasses because of an eye condition.)
Trump had vowed on Saturday to apply a wave of rising tariffs from February 1 to several European partners, including France, until the US is allowed to acquire Greenland, a major move by the EU that has been described as a criminal act.
Washington’s “endless accumulation” of new values ”is absolutely unacceptable,” Macron said in Davos, “especially if it is used as a basis for resistance to local sovereignty.”
What will Europe do?
EU leaders decided over the weekend to meet in Brussels on Thursday evening for an emergency summit on Greenland.
Tariffs on 93 billion euros of US goods, which the EU set aside when Trump agreed to a trade deal with the bloc last summer, could go into effect on February 6.
Macron pushed the EU to consider the first use of its Anti-Coercion Instrument, known informally as the “trade bazooka,” which could limit US access to public tenders or restrict trade in services such as technology platforms. Macron said on Tuesday it was “crazy” that it had come so far.
Bad relationship
The US president’s relationship with Europe as a whole has been strained by his push to seize sovereignty over an Arctic island from fellow NATO member Denmark, shaking European industry and sending shockwaves through financial markets.
Trump was also angered by France’s reluctance to join the proposed Peace Council, a new international organization he will lead. Paris has expressed concern about its impact on the role of the United Nations.
When asked about Macron’s stance on the Peace Council, Trump said late Monday: “I’m going to put a 200 percent tariff on his wine and champagne, and he’s going to join, but he doesn’t have to join.”
A few hours later, Trump published on his Public Truth account a screenshot of the exchange with Macron.
In the exchange, which a source close to Macron said was true, Macron told Trump “I don’t understand what he’s doing in Greenland,” and promised to host a G7 meeting inviting Russia and others. Neither Trump nor the French source disclosed the date of the messages.
There is no Trump-Macron meeting planned in Davos
Macron confirmed he has no plans to extend his stay in Davos until Wednesday, when Trump arrives in the Swiss mountain town.
“There is no need for me to change my schedule,” he said, adding that it had been planned that he would leave in the evening.
Macron, who will leave office in mid-2027, has been president of France since 2017. His relationship with Trump has been strained since Trump took office, with Macron alternating between flattery and tough talk.
French officials have long defended Macron’s efforts to communicate directly with Trump, saying the men often have unexpected phone calls and exchange texts outside official diplomatic channels.
People close to Macron say he is being singled out by Trump because he stands for democratic principles.
“By leading the opposition, France becomes a victim,” Pieyre-Alexandre Langlade, head of legal affairs in Macron’s camp, told Reuters.
