Paris, France – French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a strongly worded message to European leaders on Tuesday, warning that the current rapprochement with Washington is “deceptive.” He added that the continent must prepare for imminent clashes with the administration of President Donald Trump, which he described as “openly anti-European.”
Greenland “alarm bell”
In simultaneous interviews with leading international newspapers, including Le Monde and the Financial Times, Macron asserted that the recent Greenland crisis and the accompanying trade and technology tensions should serve as a final wake-up call for long-overdue economic reforms.
Macron stated, “When there is clear aggression, the right strategy is not to give in or compromise. We tried that for months, and it didn’t work.”
Predictions of an American “digital attack”
The French president warned that the next clash with Trump would be over the digital sector. He also predicted that Washington would attack the European Union in the coming months over digital services regulations. He further indicated the possibility of Trump imposing retaliatory tariffs on European imports if Brussels attempted to curb the influence of major American technology companies.
Between the “Chinese tsunami” and American volatility
Macron painted a bleak picture of the challenges facing the bloc, describing them as a “profound shock.” On the trade front, Europe is facing what he called a “Chinese tsunami” that is flooding markets. Politically, it faces “moment-by-moment instability” from the United States under the Trump administration, which seeks to decouple Europe and dismantle the bloc.
Shared debt and the dollar challenge
Macron reiterated his controversial call for a permanent “joint borrowing” system among the 27 EU member states. This aims to facilitate large-scale investment and challenge the “dominance of the US dollar.” While this mechanism achieved temporary success in 2020, it continues to face fierce opposition from Germany and other northern European countries.
The Brussels summit and the “Made in Europe” strategy
Macron’s remarks come ahead of the EU leaders’ summit in Belgium next Thursday. At the summit, he will push for approval of the “Made in Europe” strategy. This plan aims to establish a minimum level of European content in locally manufactured goods. The move is causing sharp divisions within the bloc and concern among major car manufacturers.
