Macron's sharp message: His policy is anti-European

French President Emmanuel Macron stated today that Europe should prepare for new conflicts with the United States and view the recent “Greenland moment” as a wake-up call to implement long-delayed economic reforms and strengthen the European Union’s global power.

In an interview published in several European newspapers, Macron said that Europe should not misinterpret the current easing of tensions with Washington as a permanent shift, despite the apparent resolution of disputes over Greenland, trade, and technology.

“When there is a clear act of aggression, I think what we should do is not yield or try to reach a compromise. We have tested that strategy for months. It does not work,” Macron told several outlets, including Le Monde and the Financial Times.

“The Trump administration is openly anti-European”

Macron said that Donald Trump’s administration is “openly anti-European” and seeks the “disintegration” of the European Union.

“The U.S. will, in the coming months—I am certain of this—attack us over digital regulation,” Macron added, warning of possible American import tariffs if the EU implements the Digital Services Act to regulate tech companies.

The French president also reiterated his call for new joint borrowing, such as Eurobonds, emphasizing that this would allow the EU to invest at scale and challenge the hegemony of the U.S. dollar.

FCAS fighter jet program

Macron also stated that the French-German-Spanish FCAS fighter jet program is not dead and that he hopes to soon discuss further progress with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

In December, Reuters sources reported that a meeting of the defense ministers of France, Germany, and Spain had failed to advance the troubled program, which aims to develop a new jet to replace France’s Rafales and Germany’s and Spain’s Eurofighters.

When asked if the FCAS project was dead, Macron replied:
“No. France’s assessment is that FCAS is a very good project, and I have not heard any German voice saying it is not a good project.” He added that he hopes the project will progress.

EU leaders will meet on Thursday in Brussels at a summit to discuss measures to strengthen the Union’s economy and its competitiveness relative to the U.S. and China on the global stage.