By Newspot Nigeria Global Desk
U.S. President Donald Trump took a swipe at French President Emmanuel Macron during his World Economic Forum address in Davos on Wednesday, joking about the aviator-style sunglasses Macron wore a day earlier, a moment that drew laughter in the room and instantly amplified an already tense exchange between Paris and Washington.
Macron had worn the mirrored shades indoors during his own Davos speech on Tuesday. The French presidency later said the sunglasses were to protect his eye after a burst blood vessel, but the look quickly went viral, with online comparisons to a “Top Gun” vibe and a knock-on effect that even boosted attention around the eyewear brand linked to the style.
In Trump’s remarks, he said he watched Macron “with those beautiful sunglasses,” adding that he “actually likes Emmanuel,” while still leaning into the mockery that has become a hallmark of his public political style.
What’s fueling the “war of words”
Behind the sunglasses joke is a deeper policy clash, with Greenland at the center.
Macron used his Davos platform to issue a pointed warning, without naming Trump directly saying Europe would resist “bullies” and reject “the law of the strongest.”
Euronews reports the dispute escalated earlier in the week after Trump threatened 200% tariffs on French wine and champagne, tying the threat to Macron’s refusal to join a Trump-backed “Board of Peace” initiative and portraying Macron as politically weakened. (Macron’s current term runs until 2027 under France’s two-term limit.)
Trump also revisited prior pharmaceutical pricing disputes during his Davos speech, claiming he confronted Macron over what he described as years of Europe “taking advantage” of the U.S. on drug costs.
Leaked messages + EU pushback
The spat has also spilled into private diplomacy. Euronews says Trump recently published private messages from Macron, in which Macron questioned Trump’s Greenland strategy and floated the idea of a broadened G7-style meeting in Paris that would include Russian officials.
France has recently positioned itself as one of the more outspoken European voices pushing back on Trump’s territorial talk. Macron has argued for using the EU’s Anti-Coercion Instrument, calling tariff threats connected to Greenland “fundamentally unacceptable” when used as leverage against sovereignty.
Why Davos noticed
Davos is supposed to be about markets and global coordination, but this episode showed, again, how fast it can turn into a stage for symbolic power politics and leader-to-leader drama, especially with security and alliance issues in the background.
