French President Emmanuel Macron speaks at the annual World Economic Forum (WEF), Davos, Switzerland, January 20, 2026. (Photo via social media)

French President Emmanuel Macron has denounced US President Donald Trump`s threats to seize Greenland, calling the move an act of bullying and warning that Europe may be forced to counter Washington`s escalating economic coercion.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland on Tuesday, Macron issued his most direct criticism yet after Trump threatened to slap 200 per cent tariffs on French alcoholic beverages in retaliation for Paris` push-back against US efforts to acquire Greenland.

Without mentioning Trump by name, Macron delivered a pointed rebuke. "We need more growth. We need more stability in this world, but we do prefer respect to bullies," he said. "We do prefer rule of law to brutality."

Macron also confirmed that the European Union may activate its Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI).

"The crazy thing is that we can be put in a situation to use the anti-coercion mechanism for the very first time," he said.

This apparatus allows the EU to block US suppliers from public tenders, restrict imports and exports, and limit foreign investment in Europe.

Macron urged the removal of tariffs, condemning Washington`s use of them as political intimidation. "It does not make sense to have tariffs and be divided, and even to be threatened now with additional tariffs," he said.

He denounced the US measures as "an endless accumulation of new tariffs that are fundamentally unacceptable, even more so when they are used as leverage against territorial sovereignty."

Macron warned that Washington`s trade tactics now "demand maximum concessions and openly aim to weaken and subordinate Europe," directly undermining European interests.

The remarks came shortly after Trump escalated the feud on his Truth Social platform, posting screenshots that mocked what he described as Macron`s "confusion" over Greenland and France`s proposal to host a G7 meeting in Paris with Russian participation.

Trump shared Macron`s invitation for a gathering involving "Ukrainians, the Danish, the Syrians and the Russians," along with a dinner in Paris, a move that further inflamed tensions between the two leaders.