Emmanuel Macron is the eighth President of the Fifth Republic of France.
Following the beginning of the second presidential term of Donald Trump in the United States, Emmanuel Macron urged European leaders to “wake up” and increase defense spending to reduce the continent’s reliance on the United States for security.
Addressing members of the French military
on January 20, 2025 Macron cautioned that Europe must be prepared for a future in which the United States may shift its strategic military focus to other regions. “What will we do in Europe tomorrow if our American ally withdraws its warships from the Mediterranean? If they send their fighter jets from the Atlantic to the Pacific?” he said.
Claim
A quote circulating online has been attributed to Emmanuel Macron, claiming that the French president said, “Europe cannot depend on the mood of a 79-year-old man.”
Verdict
A digital investigation by JamiiCheck has established that the claim is false, as President Emmanuel Macron has never made the statement exactly as it is being circulated.
Through a keyword search, no credible or official source was found quoting Macron as having said those words.
Macron
said France will not take part in any operations to unblock the Strait of Hormuz, distancing his position from remarks made by Donald Trump. He clarified that France is not a party to the conflict and will not engage in military operations in the current situation.
Asked about French President Emmanuel Macron’s refusal to join military operations in Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump
told reporters during a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin at the White House, “He’ll be out of office very soon, so let’s see.”
