Following Trump's victory, Macron queries whether the EU is prepared to safeguard its interests.

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?"

Macron has sought to distance himself from the interests of trading rivals such as the United States and China during his time as president. The EU used its meeting in Budapest on Thursday to outline its plans for the near future, including supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia. Netanyahu told Macron that Israel was not created by the UN, but by the "blood of our heroic fighters." Macron was among the first world leaders to congratulate President-elect Trump on Wednesday, writing on Twitter, "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."

In 2027, Emmanuel Macron will have to resign as president of France and cannot run for re-election, as per French law. Despite facing criticism within his own country for calling for snap elections in June, Macron narrowly defeated Marine Le Pen's conservative party. Immigration remains a contentious issue politically for Macron, with 8.7 million foreign-born residents in France as of 2022, according to Statista.