French President Emmanuel Macron has accused President Donald Trump of being “anti-European,” even as Macron faces increasing disapproval at home. His vocal criticism of Trump within the EU hasn’t improved his domestic standing. According to a recent Morning Consult poll, Macron’s average approval rating is just 16%, making him the least popular leader in Europe.
Despite his low approval ratings, Macron has continued to challenge the Trump administration. He stated in interviews with the Financial Times, Le Monde, and other outlets that the Trump administration is “openly anti-European,” “shows contempt” for the EU, and “wishes its dismemberment.”
Macron referenced the recent disagreement over Greenland, where Trump threatened tariffs against European countries opposing his attempts to gain control of the Arctic territory from Denmark, stating it was “not over”.
“When there’s a clear act of aggression, I think what we should do isn’t bow down or try to reach a settlement,” Macron told the outlets. “We’ve tried that strategy for months. It’s not working.”
He called the Greenland situation a “Greenland moment,” cautioning European leaders against complacency. In January, during his annual foreign policy address, Macron urged Europe to reject what he described as a return to “new colonialism.”
Macron emphasized the need to protect European industries, including chemicals, steel, cars, and defense.
“Today we are facing in particular two major champions that no longer respect World Trade Organization rules,” he told the outlets, referring to the U.S. and China. “So if we do not agree to protect . . . to re-establish fair terms of trade, we will simply be swept away.”
Digital Regulation Disputes
Macron predicted clashes between the EU and the Trump administration this year regarding tech regulation on data privacy, so-called “hate speech,” and digital taxation. “The U.S. will, in the coming months — that’s certain — attack us over digital regulation,” Macron said, adding the Trump administration might impose tariffs if the EU uses its Digital Services Act to control U.S. tech companies. In February, French authorities raided the Paris offices of Elon Musk’s social media platform X and summoned the billionaire for questioning. The investigation, initiated over a year prior, now includes accusations of algorithm abuse and the distribution of illegal content, including sexual deepfakes.
Trump’s Perspective and NATO
Despite Macron’s claims that Trump is “anti-Europe,” the president stated at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January that he “love[s] Europe” but believes it is “not heading in the right direction.” Furthermore, the U.S. continues to support NATO while urging European nations to strengthen their own defenses. Matthew Whitaker, the U.S. ambassador to NATO, stated on Monday that the U.S. expects Europe “to equalise, as we expect them to be stronger and to share the burden of European security with the United States and ultimately take over the conventional defence of the European continent, together with the United States overarching nuclear umbrella,” according to the Guardian.
The Trump administration’s National Defense Strategy, released in December, reaffirms the importance of the U.S.–European alliance but stresses that Europe must contribute more to its own defense. The document also warns that demographic changes within NATO countries could affect alliance cohesion.
European Leaders’ Approval Ratings
Macron’s low approval rating contrasts with those of other European leaders. Here’s a comparison:
The approval ratings are based on surveys conducted between Feb. 2 and Feb. 8, averaged across adults in each country.
