Macron Accuses United States of Undermining Rules-Based Global Order

French president warns that Washington is distancing itself from allies and abandoning international norms following actions in Venezuela and renewed rhetoric over Greenland.

By Haitian Prime News Staff|January 8, 2026|Paris, France

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday sharply criticized the United States’ recent foreign policy direction, warning that Washington is increasingly breaking away from the international rules-based order it once helped establish.

Speaking during his annual foreign policy address in Paris, Macron said the United States is “an established power that is gradually turning away from some of its allies and breaking free from the international rules that it used to promote.” His remarks come in the aftermath of major geopolitical developments, including the removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and renewed U.S. threats to annex Greenland.

Macron argued that such actions risk weakening global stability and undermining long-standing diplomatic norms that govern sovereignty and international cooperation. He stressed that the erosion of these rules could have far-reaching consequences, particularly as global tensions continue to rise.

The French president also renewed calls for Europe to strengthen its strategic autonomy, warning that reliance on external powers has become increasingly risky in a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape. He emphasized the need for European nations to enhance cooperation on defense, diplomacy, and economic security.

Macron’s comments reflect growing unease among European leaders about unilateral actions by major powers and the perceived decline of multilateral institutions designed to manage global conflict.

U.S. officials did not immediately respond to the remarks.

Sources

• Remarks by President Emmanuel Macron during France’s annual foreign policy address

• Associated Press reporting

• Pool photo by Ludovic Marin / EPA