France's President Emmanuel Macron in Davos, Switzerland, on January 20, 2026. LUDOVIC MARIN / AFP
French President Emmanuel Macron Tuesday, January 20, denounced US competition seeking to "subordinate Europe" and "unacceptable" tariffs following US President Donald Trump's threat to impose levies on countries opposing his plans to seize Greenland.
In a speech at Davos, Macron described "competition from the United States of America through trade agreements that undermine our export interests, demand maximum concessions, and openly aim to weaken and subordinate Europe."
They were "combined with an endless accumulation of new tariffs that are fundamentally unacceptable – even more so when they are used as leverage against territorial sovereignty," he said.
"France and Europe are attached to national sovereignty and independence, to the United Nations and to its charter," Macron also said, as his US counterpart seeks to take over Greenland and create and head a new global "Board of Peace." He said he prefers "respect to bullies" and "rule of law to brutality."
