French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that recent tensions between the United States and the European Union should be seen as a serious wake-up call, cautioning that US “threats” and “intimidation” toward Europe are not over despite a temporary easing of pressure.
In interviews published on Tuesday by Le Monde, The Economist, The Financial Times and Germany’s Süddeutsche Zeitung, Macron urged EU leaders to draw lessons from what he called the “Greenland moment” and push through urgent reforms to strengthen Europe’s economic and strategic autonomy.
Macron was referring to recent remarks by US President Donald Trump, who pledged to take control of Greenland, arguing that the Danish autonomous territory is vital to US national security. Although Washington later appeared to soften its stance, Macron said Europeans should not be fooled into thinking the pressure has ended.
“There are threats and intimidation, and then suddenly Washington backs down. And we think it’s over,” Macron said. “But don’t believe it for a second.”
Warning of renewed pressure
The French president said the Trump administration remains “openly anti-European” and accused it of seeking the EU’s “dismemberment.” He warned that further hostile moves are likely, particularly if the EU presses ahead with enforcing its Digital Services Act (DSA), which regulates major technology platforms.
“The US will in the coming months – that’s certain – attack us over digital regulation,” Macron said, adding that Washington could respond with new import tariffs against European goods.
He criticized what he described as Europe’s tendency to seek compromise in the face of pressure, arguing that this approach only deepens dependence on external powers. “When there is blatant aggression, we must not bow down or try to reach a settlement,” he said.
Call for EU reforms and resilience
Ahead of an EU meeting on competitiveness this week, Macron called for simplifying and deepening the single market, diversifying trade partnerships, and boosting Europe’s ability to withstand shocks from both the US and China.
“We have the Chinese tsunami on the trade front, and minute-by-minute instability on the American side,” he said. “These two crises amount to a profound shock – a rupture for Europeans.”
Macron advocated what he termed “protection,” distinct from protectionism, arguing for a stronger preference for European industries. He said the EU needs around 1.2 trillion euros ($1.4 trillion) annually in public and private investment, particularly in green and digital technologies, defence and security.
The French leader renewed his long-standing call for common EU borrowing to fund large-scale investments, including the issuance of future-oriented Eurobonds. While France has supported the idea for years, several EU member states remain reluctant.
“Now is the time to launch a common borrowing capacity for these future expenditures,” Macron said.
Strained transatlantic ties
Since returning to the White House, Trump has unsettled transatlantic relations by adopting a more confrontational and transactional approach toward Europe. Tensions escalated last month when Trump threatened to annex Greenland and impose tariffs on European countries opposing the move, before abruptly reversing course.
Although Trump later said he had reached a “framework” agreement with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte to expand US influence over Greenland, the episode has heightened European concerns about US reliability.
Trump’s criticism of NATO allies, including comments about defence spending and remarks that allied troops stayed “a little off the front lines” in Afghanistan, has further strained relations. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described those comments as “insulting and frankly appalling.”
Meanwhile, US opposition to the EU’s digital regulations and ongoing trade disputes have added to economic friction, reinforcing calls within Europe for greater independence and resilience.
Macron, whose second term ends in early 2027, framed the current moment as decisive for Europe’s future. “This is not a passing crisis,” he said, urging EU leaders to act decisively before external pressures further weaken the bloc’s unity and influence, as Al Jazeera Reports.
