French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a strong message to the European Union in the wake of President-elect Donald Trump's decisive victory.
In a translated video shared to social media site X, Macron addressed the European Union saying, "Donald Trump was elected by Americans to defend the interests of Americans. The question we, as Europeans, must ask ourselves is, are we ready to defend the interests of Europeans?"
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In his continued address, Macron called Europe the world's "herbivore" and called for his fellow European nations to become an "omnivore."
"For me, it’s simple," said Macron. "The world is made up of herbivores and carnivores. If we decide to remain herbivores, then the carnivores will win and we will be a market for them."
Macron has sought independence from the interests of trading rivals like the United States and China during his tenure as president.
The EU took Thursday's meeting in Budapest as an opportunity to outline its ambitions for the near future, including supporting Ukraine in the war against Russia.
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The French president was one of the first world leaders to congratulate President-elect Trump on Wednesday, writing on X "Congratulations, President @realDonaldTrump. Ready to work together as we did for four years. With your convictions and mine. With respect and ambition. For more peace and prosperity."
Macron has been under fire within his own country this year after he called for snap elections in June, narrowly beating Marine Le Pen's conservative party.
Immigration continues to be a sore spot politically for Macron, with 8.7 million foreign-born residents in France per 2022 numbers shared by Statista.
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Emmanuel Macron must step down in 2027 and cannot run again for president, per French law.
