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French President Emmanuel Macron gained attention at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos when he stepped onto the stage wearing eye-catching aviator sunglasses on Tuesday. Macron has been dealing with an eye issue he describes as “completely harmless.” He chose to wear sunglasses during his speech to safeguard his eyes after experiencing a burst blood vessel, according to the Élysée Palace.

A few days earlier, Macron addressed the topic publicly after being seen sporting sunglasses during an outdoor troop review at a military base in Istres, in southern France. During his remarks, he apologetically mentioned his appearance, saying, “Please excuse the unsightly look of my eye. It’s entirely harmless.” He added with a hint of humor, “Just a little nod to the ‘Eye of the Tiger’… For those who recognize the reference, it’s a sign of resilience,” referencing the 1982 hit song by Survivor featured in the movie Rocky III.

At Davos, Macron adopted a more assertive stance on global issues. “We prefer respect over bullies,” he declared, emphasizing the importance of the rule of law over violence. He criticized the United States’ ongoing imposition of new tariffs, calling it “fundamentally unacceptable,” especially when used as leverage against other nations’ sovereignty.

Macron urged the European Union to stand firm against “the law of the strongest,” labeling it “crazy” that the bloc is considering deploying its anti-coercion measures against the U.S. His comments followed threats from Donald Trump to levy steep tariffs on French wine and champagne and the leaking of private messages exchanged between Macron and Trump—an unusual breach of diplomatic protocol. Trump shared screenshots of the message thread on his social media platform, Truth Social.

In the messages, Macron expressed confusion over Trump’s actions regarding Greenland and proposed hosting a G7 summit with Russia and other nations. Neither Trump nor Macron’s aides specified when these messages were exchanged. Trump also announced plans to escalate tariffs on European allies, including France, starting February 1, unless the U.S. gains access to Greenland—moves that many EU leaders have condemned as diplomatic blackmail.