French President Emmanuel Macron speaks at a press conference on January 17, 2025. (Photo: VNA)

He vowed in an interview on Sunday to go head-to-head with Donald Trump over the US President’s financial threats.

Macron told CNN that the EU should not be a "top priority" for the United States after Trump's repeated threats to target the EU after ordering tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China. The French President warned that tariffs will harm both Europe and the US, given the level of their economic ties.

He said the EU must be prepared to respond to actions by the United States, but emphasized that the 27-nation bloc should primarily "act for itself."

Macron argued that Europe needs to prioritize advancing its competitiveness agenda, its defense and security programs, and its ambitions in artificial intelligence (AI) technology.