Macron Rebukes Trump at Davos Over Tariff Threats and Greenland Sovereignty

Davos: French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a forceful critique of US President Donald Trump on Tuesday at the World Economic Forum, sharply rebuking threats of punitive tariffs against European allies and signalling deep concern over Trump’s stance on Greenland’s sovereignty.

In his address to global leaders and policymakers gathered in Davos, Macron argued that using trade measures as leverage undermines established norms of international cooperation and could weaken the fabric of alliances built over decades. He cautioned that a pattern of escalating tariffs — particularly when directed at long-standing partners — risks subordinating Europe and eroding trust between allies. Macron said the surge in threats to impose duties on French exports and those of other nations felt less like fair competition and more like coercion aimed at reshaping diplomatic outcomes.

Macron’s comments came against the backdrop of Trump’s announcement that duties on imported goods from several European countries could rise sharply if Copenhagen and other capitals resist US demands related to Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark. French officials have publicly rejected the idea that economic pressure should be used to influence sovereign decisions, and at Davos Macron reiterated that no amount of intimidation will sway France or its partners. He stressed that European nations remain committed to upholding territorial integrity — whether in Ukraine or Greenland — and will coordinate responses firmly if threats persist.

Turning to the broader global landscape, Macron said the world is facing mounting instability across security, defence and economic arenas, warning that without collective governance and respect for international law, competition among powers could spiral into a landscape dominated by the strongest rather than the rules-based order. He urged unity among European allies and called for a reaffirmation of multilateral cooperation that respects national sovereignty without resorting to “bullying” tactics.

Macron also signalled that Europe is prepared to and may need to use its own mechanisms — including the European Union’s anti-coercion tools — to defend its interests in the face of what he described as unacceptable economic threats. Although he reiterated the importance of collaboration with the United States on shared challenges, Macron’s speech underscored deepening frustrations in Paris and across Europe as transatlantic ties are tested by trade disputes and strategic competition.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and other leaders at the forum echoed Macron’s concerns, describing the imposition of tariffs between long-standing allies as a mistake that could jeopardise trust and cooperation, even as they stressed the importance of maintaining strong diplomatic and economic links with the United States.

Macron’s remarks at Davos mark one of the most direct European presidential rebukes to date of Trump’s current policy trajectory, reflecting rising unease among Western partners over the future of trade and security cooperation in an era of intensified geopolitical competition.