Macron Calls Trump Administration 'Openly Anti‑European', Warns Of Renewed US Friction

Last Updated:February 10, 2026, 16:56 IST

Macron said Europe should not mistake a temporary lull in US threats over Greenland, trade, and technology for a lasting shift.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday called the Trump administration as “openly anti‑European" and warned that Europe should brace for renewed tensions with the United States.

The French leader urged the European Union to take the so‑called “Greenland moment" as a wake-up call to push through long-delayed reforms that would strengthen the bloc’s global power.

In an interview with several European newspapers, Macron said Europe should not mistake a temporary lull in US threats over Greenland, trade, and technology for a lasting shift. He stressed that clashes with Washington, including over the EU’s regulation of digital technology, were likely in the months ahead.

“When there’s a clear act of aggression, I think what we should do isn’t bow down or try to reach a settlement," Macron told Le Monde, the Financial Times and others. “We’ve tried that strategy for months. It’s not working."

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Macron warned that if Europe implements its Digital Services Act to regulate major tech companies, the US could respond with import tariffs. He said the Trump administration was seeking the EU’s “dismemberment" and that further conflicts were inevitable.

“Europe needs protection, not protectionism," Macron said. He called on EU leaders to use a summit in a Belgian castle this week to energise economic reforms, improve competitiveness, and strengthen the bloc’s ability to stand up to both China and the United States.

“We have the Chinese tsunami on the trade front, and we have minute-by-minute instability on the American side. These two crises amount to a profound shock — a rupture for Europeans," he added.

The French President also renewed his call for greater common borrowing within the EU to allow its 27 nations to invest at scale and challenge the dominance of the US dollar. “World markets are increasingly wary of the U.S. dollar. They’re looking at alternatives. Let’s offer them European debt," he said.

Thursday’s summit will also discuss French-led plans for a “Made in Europe" strategy, which aims to set minimum European content requirements in local manufacturing. The plan has divided EU nations and raised concerns among automakers.

“For me, the economic strategy to make our Europe a power lies in what I call protection, which is not protectionism, but rather European preference," Macron said.

(With inputs from Reuters)

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