Macron Warns EU: US Trade ‘Threats’ and ‘Intimidation’ Are Far From Over
PARIS – French President Emmanuel Macron has issued a stark warning to European Union leaders, cautioning that recent de-escalations in trade tensions with the United States should not be mistaken for a permanent shift in Washington’s stance. In a wide-ranging interview published Tuesday with several major European newspapers, including Le Monde and the Financial Times, Macron asserted that US “threats” and “intimidation” towards the bloc are far from over.
The French President’s comments come just days after a diplomatic standoff—dubbed the “Greenland moment”—appeared to subside. The dispute, sparked by US President Donald Trump’s controversial bid to purchase Greenland and subsequent threats of tariffs on European nations that opposed the move, ended with an abrupt policy reversal from the White House. However, Macron urged his European counterparts to remain vigilant, arguing that the respite is likely temporary.
“There are threats and intimidation. And then, suddenly, Washington backs down. And we think it’s over. But don’t believe it for a second,” Macron stated in the interview. “Every day, there are threats against pharmaceuticals, digital technology, and other strategic sectors.”
Macron, a long-time proponent of European “strategic autonomy,” used the interview to argue that the EU must not succumb to external pressure, regardless of the source. He characterized the current geopolitical climate as one defined by “blatant aggression,” warning that appeasement is a failed strategy. “We must not bow down or try to reach a settlement,” he said. “We tried this strategy for months, and it’s not working. But above all, it strategically leads Europe to increase its dependence.”
The interview was timed to coincide with a crucial EU summit on competitiveness scheduled for later this week. Macron is expected to push for a radical overhaul of the bloc’s investment strategies to counter the “double challenge” posed by American protectionism and Chinese trade aggression.
Central to his proposal is a call for a massive increase in public and private investment, which he estimates must reach approximately €1.2 trillion ($1.4 trillion) annually. To finance this, Macron renewed his contentious appeal for common European debt—often referred to as Eurobonds—to fund future-oriented sectors such as green energy, defense, and digital infrastructure. “Now is the time to launch a common borrowing capacity for these future expenditures,” he argued, acknowledging that the proposal faces stiff resistance from fiscally conservative member states like Germany.
The French President also highlighted the specific risks facing the EU’s digital economy. He predicted that the US would likely target the bloc in the coming months over its regulatory attempts to control big tech companies, specifically through the Digital Services Act.
“We are currently in a phase I would call a ‘Greenland moment’,” Macron concluded, describing a cycle where unpredictability becomes the norm. He urged the EU to simplify its single market and diversify trade partnerships to avoid being “swept aside” by the competing industrial strategies of the US and China.
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* thelocal.fr
* europeanconservative.com
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* straitstimes.com
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* vijesti.me
* moderndiplomacy.eu
* theguardian.com
* dailytimes.com.pk
* youtube.com
* aa.com.tr
* kyivindependent.com
