Macron urges EU to confront Trump on tech rules and tariffs

Emmanuel Macron urged the European Union to adopt a tougher line with US President Donald Trump, warning of a confrontation this year over EU digital rules that he believes could trigger new US tariffs.

In a recent interview, the French leader argued that Trump is pushing for the “dismemberment” of the EU. He predicted that Washington will challenge Europe’s regulation of online platforms, stating, “The US will, in the coming months — that’s certain — attack us over digital regulation.”

Macron expects the dispute to center on efforts to tighten oversight of major platforms and limit access by minors. He indicated that France and Spain could be singled out because both have proposed bans on social media use for children.

Governments across Europe, including the UK, Portugal, Denmark, Greece, Norway, Poland, Austria, Ireland and the Netherlands, are considering similar limits. Any broad restrictions would affect Instagram and Facebook at Meta, Snap’s Snapchat, Elon Musk’s X, TikTok and Google’s YouTube, cutting off millions of young users and the advertising tied to them.

Macron cautioned that the European push could draw trade penalties from Washington under Trump. He criticized the pace and scale of Europe’s digital policymaking compared with the US, urging closer coordination within the bloc. “This must be the moment of awakening,” he said.

As we covered previously, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde warned that years of hesitation on reforms are costing Europe prosperity and time, urging faster integration to unlock domestic growth.

She said Europe’s export‑led model is out of step with a world shaped by rising U.S. tariffs, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and intensifying competition from China. Lagarde said Europe has become more vulnerable due to dependence on third countries for security and critical raw materials, noting that global shocks have intensified while the internal market has stood still.