French President Emmanuel Macron said his country was a “a solid ally” of US president-elect Donald Trump on Monday as he outlined his vision for global diplomacy in 2025, while warning that France could lose the incoming US leader’s respect by being “weak and defeatist”.
“Donald Trump knows that he has a solid ally in France, an ally he does not underestimate, one who believes in Europe and carries a lucid ambition for the transatlantic relationship,” Macron said in a New Year speech at the Élysée Palace, emphasising France’s commitment to fostering cooperation while urging European nations to fortify their unity and resilience.
“If we decide to be weak and defeatist, there is little chance we will be respected by the United States under President Trump,” Macron warned.
The speech, delivered against a backdrop of geopolitical turmoil, laid out France’s foreign policy priorities, spanning the Ukraine war, European defence, and the Middle East.
Even as Macron expressed openness to Trump, he delivered pointed criticism of tech mogul Elon Musk, a known Trump ally, for promoting what he described as a “new reactionary international” movement through his social media platform, X.