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President Trump teased French President Emmanuel Macron for wearing sunglasses during a Europe-bashing speech to the World Economic Forum — as he blasted the Swiss, Danes, Brits, and Germans over trade, energy policy, immigration, and Greenland.

“I watched him yesterday with those beautiful sunglasses,” the president said in Davos, Switzerland, to audible laughter from his audience as he accused America’s allies of weakening themselves through “foolish” policies.

“What the hell happened?”


  French President Emmanuel Macron sported sunglasses at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. AFP via Getty Images French President Emmanuel Macron sported sunglasses at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. AFP via Getty Images

Macron, who has organized European pushback to Trump’s bid to take Greenland from Denmark, blamed a mysterious eye condition for showing up with dark aviators — before laying into Trump and calling him a bully in his own speech.

Tensions between the American president and European leaders have been high as Trump continues to demand ownership of the vast Arctic territory.

Macron told the assembled business and political leaders that “we do prefer respect to bullies” — a clear jab at the American president, with whom he’s had a hot-and-cold relationship for years.

The French leader had invited Trump to join him for dinner Thursday in Paris, but instead of agreeing to attend, Trump on Tuesday posted the largely flattering and pleading message on social media — with Trump telling The Post he did so because it “made my point” by showing European tough talk belied quiet respect.


  French President Emmanuel Macron at the World Economic Forum on Jan. 20, 2026. via REUTERS French President Emmanuel Macron at the World Economic Forum on Jan. 20, 2026. via REUTERS

‘Rubbed me the wrong way’

Trump used his 72-minute speech to bash a variety of European policies — and in a surprise, he laid into his Swiss hosts, recalling how the confederation’s former president, Karin Keller-Sutter, “rubbed me the wrong way” last year.

Keller-Sutter, a member of Switzerland’s seven-person Federal Council and head of the country’s finance department, served as president for 2025 and spoke with Trump last July as he threatened reciprocal tariffs.


  Trump used his 72-minute speech to bash a variety of European policies, including recalling how the confederation’s former president, Karin Keller-Sutter, “rubbed me the wrong way” last year. AFP via Getty Images Trump used his 72-minute speech to bash a variety of European policies, including recalling how the confederation’s former president, Karin Keller-Sutter, “rubbed me the wrong way” last year. AFP via Getty Images

“Switzerland, incredible place, incredible, brilliant place, but I didn’t realize that they’re only good because of us,” Trump said in the Alpine resort town.

“We never charged them anything. So they come in, they sell their watches, no tariffs, no nothing. They walk away. They make $41 billion on just us. So I said, ‘No, we can’t do that.’ … I brought [the tariff] up to 30%.”

Keller-Sutter “was very repetitive. She said, ‘No, no, no, you cannot do that. 30%, you cannot do that. We are a small, small country.’ I said, ‘Yeah, but you have a big, big deficit. You may be small, but you have a bigger deficit than big countries.’”


  Switzerland’s Economy Minister Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter waits in a corridor of the Congress Centre prior to a bilateral meeting at the 56th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on January 21, 2026. POOL/AFP via Getty Images Switzerland’s Economy Minister Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter waits in a corridor of the Congress Centre prior to a bilateral meeting at the 56th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on January 21, 2026. POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Trump said, “She just rubbed me the wrong way, I’ll be honest. And I said, ‘All right. Thank you, ma’am, appreciate it… Thank you very much, ma’am.’ And I made it 39%, and then all hell really broke out.”

He added: “Without the United States, they wouldn’t be making anything. Think of it… She was so aggressive. And I realized in that conversation that the United States is keeping the whole world afloat.”

Trump said, “I could give you six, seven places” in similar circumstances.

“They’re looking down,” he said of other world leaders in his audience. “They don’t want to see me, and they don’t want to stare me in the eyes, but they’re taking advantage of — everybody took advantage of the United States, but I’ve been very fair.”

Switzerland ultimately received a 15% “reciprocal” tariff from Trump last year — in line with a European Union rate negotiated in exchange for concessions. 

The European Parliament on Wednesday paused work on ratifying that deal due to Trump’s Greenland demand and his just-announced 10% tariff, due to take effect Feb. 1, on eight European countries that oppose US expansion at Denmark’s expense.

‘They called me Daddy’

Trump noted the swift decline in his relationship with European leaders over his demands for Greenland, noting that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte last year called him “daddy.”

“Until the last few days when I told them about Iceland, they loved me,” Trump said, mistakenly naming a different frigid island settled by Scandinavians. 

“They called me ‘Daddy’ last time. A very smart man said, ‘He’s our daddy. He’s running it.’ I was like running it. I went from running it to being a terrible human being.”


  US President Donald Trump and Switzerland’s Federal President Guy Parmelin speak at a bilateral meeting at the World Economic Forum. via REUTERS US President Donald Trump and Switzerland’s Federal President Guy Parmelin speak at a bilateral meeting at the World Economic Forum. via REUTERS

Trump referred to Greenland, which is home to about 57,000 people as “a piece of ice” that’s essential for US security.

“We want a piece of ice for world protection, and they won’t give it,” he griped.

Trump noted that the US ruled Greenland during World War II after Denmark was overrun by Nazi Germany and that “after the war, we gave Greenland back to Denmark. How stupid were we to do that? But we did it. But how ungrateful are they now?”


  Trump referred to Greenland, which is home to about 57,000 people, as “a piece of ice” that’s essential for US security. via REUTERS Trump referred to Greenland, which is home to about 57,000 people, as “a piece of ice” that’s essential for US security. via REUTERS

“We’ve never asked for anything else, and we could have kept that piece of land, and we didn’t sell,” he went on. “They have a choice. You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative — or you can say no, and we will remember.”

Trump repeated his assertion that the US must own Greenland to prevent Chinese and Russian control, and noted its strategic location.

“If there is a war, much of the action will take place on that piece of ice, think of it. Those missiles will be flying right over the center of that piece of ice,” he said.


  Trump repeated his assertion that the US must own Greenland to prevent Chinese and Russian control, and noted its strategic location. REUTERS Trump repeated his assertion that the US must own Greenland to prevent Chinese and Russian control, and noted its strategic location. REUTERS

Trump is expected to meet with European leaders to discuss Greenland during his whirlwind trip before jetting back to Washington.

‘Not even recognizable’

Here’s the latest on Trump’s negotiations with Greenland

Trump also blasted European policies on immigration on energy — saying “certain places in Europe are not even recognizable anymore” due to immigrant populations.

“In recent decades, it became conventional wisdom in Washington and European capitals that the only way to grow a modern Western economy was through ever-increasing government spending, unchecked mass-migration and endless foreign imports,” Trump said.


  Trump also blasted European policies on immigration on energy — saying “certain places in Europe are not even recognizable anymore” due to immigrant populations. REUTERS Trump also blasted European policies on immigration on energy — saying “certain places in Europe are not even recognizable anymore” due to immigrant populations. REUTERS

“The consensus was that so-called dirty jobs and heavy industry should be sent elsewhere, that affordable energy should be replaced by the green new scam, and that countries could be propped up by importing new and entirely different populations from faraway lands.”

Trump singled out the UK and Germany for “very foolishly” diminishing their energy production.

Germany, which phased out nuclear power, “now generates 22% less electricity than it did in 2017,” Trump said.


  “In recent decades, it became conventional wisdom in Washington and European capitals that the only way to grow a modern Western economy was through ever-increasing government spending, unchecked mass-migration and endless foreign imports,” Trump said. AP “In recent decades, it became conventional wisdom in Washington and European capitals that the only way to grow a modern Western economy was through ever-increasing government spending, unchecked mass-migration and endless foreign imports,” Trump said. AP

“And it’s not the current chancellor’s fault, he’s solving the problem… and electricity prices are 64% higher.”

In the UK, “electricity prices are 64% higher,” Trump said.

“The UK produces just ⅓ of the total energy from all sources that it did in 1999… and they’re sitting on top of the North Sea, one of the greatest reserves anywhere in the world, but they don’t use it. And that’s one reason why their energy has reached catastrophically low levels with equally high prices,” he said.


  Switzerland’s Federal President Guy Parmelin and US President Donald Trump meet at the World Economic Forum in Davos. via REUTERS Switzerland’s Federal President Guy Parmelin and US President Donald Trump meet at the World Economic Forum in Davos. via REUTERS

“I want the UK to do great… their electricity prices have soared 139%.”

Trump also turned his ire on US allies for turning to wind as a source of renewable energy.

“There are windmills all over Europe.. And they are losers,” he said. “One thing I noticed is that the more windmills a country has, the more money that country loses and the worse that country is doing.”

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