He took to the stage at the World Economic Forum wearing a striking aviator.
The French president, who spoke at the forum on Tuesday, has recently been dealing with an eye problem, which he described as “” but has caused redness and swelling in his right eye.
He had mentioned the issue a few days earlier, during his presence at the military base in southern France. There, Mr Macron appeared in sunglasses during a troop review and began his New Year’s address to the Armed Forces, first making a reference to his appearance.
Reference to “Eye of the Tiger”
“Please excuse the unsightly image of my eye. It is, of course, something completely harmless,” he said. “Just see it as an unintentional reference to ‘Eye of the Tiger’… For those who understand the reference, it’s a sign of determination,” he added jokingly.
This reference refers to the well-known song by the American rock band Survivor from the 1982 film Rocky III, starring Sylvester Stallone.
Despite the relaxed moment, Mr Macron’s speech focused on critical challenges for the French Armed Forces in 2026. These included accelerating France’s rearmament, continuing support for Ukraine, as well as the decision to send French troops to Greenland in support of Denmark.
Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump shared a message from Emmanuel Macron, in which the French president expressed concern over the US president’s continued threats to seize Greenland.
