Overview
- At the World Economic Forum in Davos on Jan. 20, Emmanuel Macron delivered his address in mirrored aviator sunglasses, a look that quickly drew online attention.
- French officials said the eyewear was protective after a burst blood vessel left his eye red and puffy, a condition Macron previously called “completely harmless” as he joked about an “Eye of the Tiger” reference to signal resolve.
- In his speech, Macron warned against the “law of the strongest,” criticized proposed U.S. tariffs tied to the Greenland dispute, and pressed for a more sovereign Europe using tools such as the EU’s anti‑coercion instrument.
- Earlier in the day, President Donald Trump published private messages from Macron, adding to tensions as the French leader said he would not meet Trump in Davos and planned to depart Tuesday evening.
- Unverified social‑media theories about the sunglasses, including revived clips involving Brigitte Macron, circulated widely despite the official medical explanation.