Khaberni - U.S. President Donald Trump started his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos by mocking the aviator glasses worn by French President Emmanuel Macron, saying amidst the audience's laughter: "What the hell happened?", referring to Macron's unusual appearance at the event.
Macron wore the reflective blue glasses following a burst blood vessel in his eye, a condition medically known as a subconjunctival hemorrhage, caused by severe stress or coughing.
French officials confirmed that the condition is "completely benign" and does not affect vision, but Macron chose to wear the glasses to protect his eye while addressing world leaders.
Macron did not hide his usual sense of humor, jokingly describing his condition as "Eye of the Tiger" (l'œil du tigre), invoking the song from the boxing movie "Rocky 3," affirming that the glasses are not just for show but are a symbol of determination and perseverance in the face of challenges.
Despite the jesting, his remarks did not stop at a personal level, as he continued to sharply criticize Trump's policies, especially his threats to impose tariffs on European countries that opposed his plans regarding Greenland, including threatening to impose tariffs of up to 200% on French wine in response to Paris' stance on the "Peace Council" proposed by Washington as an alternative to the United Nations.
Behind the showy appearance, which some described as "spectacular," politics mixed with diplomacy and personal appearance, where Macron sought to demonstrate a firm stance on European sovereignty, stating, "We prefer respect over violence," in reference to Trump, focusing on strengthening European solidarity and concentrating efforts on supporting peace in Ukraine.
