INTERNACIONAL
From Gaza to Greenland, Macron breaks with Trump on global flashpoints
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From Gaza to Greenland, French President Emmanuel Macron appears to be taking increasingly bolder diplomatic stabs at President Donald Trump’s foreign policy even though such gestures don’t «carry weight» as Trump pointed out last week after the French leader declared his intention to recognize a Palestinian state.
«French Presidents from Charles de Gaulle onwards have reveled in the idea that they are a natural counterweight to U.S. foreign policy on the international stage,» Alan Mendoza, executive director of the U.K.-based Henry Jackson Society, told Fox News Digital Monday.
Charles de Gaulle was France’s long-serving leader in the 1950s and 1960s and was famously resistant to U.S. global dominance, withdrawing his country from NATO’s military command structure in a bid to increase its military independence and criticizing U.S. policies in Eastern Europe and Vietnam.
TRUMP REJECTS MACRON MOVE AS US SKIPS UN SUMMIT ON PALESTINIAN STATE
Macron met with Trump in Washington on the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale military invasion of Ukraine. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
Such contrarian actions, Mendoza said, «have in many ways defined the French Fifth Republic, with larger-than-life characters thrusting their views onto the world stage.
«The difference now is that France matters far less globally than it did 60 years ago,» he said, adding that a weakening of the European country’s economy and its military might «means that where once de Gaulle could roar, now Macron whimpers.»
«What was once a sign of French strength and confidence now therefore looks more like a desperate attempt to escape irrelevance,» said Mendoza.
In a dramatic announcement last week, Macron said that at the United Nations General Assembly in September France intends to declare its recognition of a Palestinian state, even as Palestinian terror groups continue to battle Israel in the Gaza Strip.
Palestinians carry bags and boxes containing food and humanitarian aid packages delivered by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a U.S.-backed organization, in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, June 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
The statement drew condemnation from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said such a move «rewards terror.»
It was also criticized by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who called the decision «reckless» and «a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th.» He said the U.S. strongly rejected such a plan.
Trump merely dismissed Macron’s Gaza move, telling reporters at the White House Friday «what he says doesn’t matter.»
«He’s a very good guy. I like him, but that statement doesn’t carry weight,» the president said.
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This is not the first time the president has discounted Macron as inconsequential.
Last month, after the French president speculated about Trump’s reasons for leaving the G7 summit in Canada early and returning to Washington, the president wrote on his Truth Social platform, «Wrong! He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that. Whether purposely or not, Emmanuel always gets it wrong. Stay Tuned!»
In the same post, Trump said Macron was «publicity seeking.»
French President Emmanuel Macron gestures as he stands on the glacier Mont Nunatarsuaq during a visit to Greenland June 15, 2025. (Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images)
The disparaging comments came after Macron directly contradicted Trump’s foreign policy by stopping on his way to the summit in the semi-autonomous Arctic territory of Greenland, which Trump has said he wishes to acquire.
«Greenland is not to be sold, not to be taken,» Macron declared in a diplomatic stab at Trump’s foreign policy and seemingly an attempt to rally support from other European countries to stand up to the U.S.
Asked about Trump’s ambitions for Greenland, Macron, according to Reuters, said, «I don’t think that’s what allies do. … It’s important that Denmark and the Europeans commit themselves to this territory, which has very high strategic stakes and whose territorial integrity must be respected.»
In February, the French president paid his first visit to the White House since Trump’s return to power, and while the meeting appeared to be warm, it also came amid tension over the U.S. approach to the Russia-Ukraine war.
Hours before the meeting, the U.S. voted against a United Nations resolution drafted by Ukraine and the European Union condemning Russia for its invasion.
President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron shake hands during a joint news conference in the East Room at the White House Feb. 24 in Washington, D.C. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
Tensions between Macron and Trump are not personal, said Mendoza, but they are also not totally ideological.
They stem from Macron’s «desire to be relevant and to stand for something,» he said. «The French are famous contrarians, but they do it for the sake of being contrarian.»
Reuel Marc Gerecht, a resident scholar at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, the Washington, D.C., think tank, said Macron was no «different from most European leaders. … Trump just isn’t their cup of tea.»
«Most view Trump as a convulsive, hostile force who views America’s historic relationship with Europe as transactional,» he said.
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«Macron, like most French leaders, defines himself in part against the U.S.,» Gerecht added, explaining that, traditionally, France and America «had a ‘mission civilisatrice’ or a competitive enlightenment mission.»
«The American way has been enormously appealing in Europe since World War II, but it has come in part at the expense of the French, who have culturally lost a lot of ground to the Anglophones, especially the Americans,» he said. «Consequently, many Frenchmen have a love-hate relationship with the U.S.»
On Macron, Gerecht added, «He is part of the French elite. They are a bright lot who punch way above their weight, but, educationally, temperamentally, they are nearly the opposite of Trump.»
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ICE officers face criminal probe for alleged ‘untruthful statements’ under oath about Minneapolis shooting
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Two Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers are under criminal investigation after federal prosecutors moved to dismiss felony assault charges against Venezuelan migrants stemming from a January shooting in Minneapolis.
ICE Director Todd Lyons said Friday that newly reviewed video evidence suggests the officers may have made «untruthful statements» under oath about the Jan. 14 confrontation, during which a Venezuelan national was shot, The Associated Press reported. The officers have been placed on administrative leave and could face termination and possible criminal prosecution, according to Lyons and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
«A joint review by ICE and the Department of Justice (DOJ) of video evidence has revealed that sworn testimony provided by two separate officers appears to have made untruthful statements,» McLaughlin told Fox News Digital in an email. «Both officers have been immediately placed on administrative leave pending the completion of a thorough internal investigation.»
«Lying under oath is a serious federal offense. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is actively investigating these false statements,» McLaughlin added. «Upon conclusion of the investigation, the officers may face termination of employment, as well as potential criminal prosecution. The men and women of ICE are entrusted with upholding the rule of law and are held to the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and ethical conduct. Violations of this sacred sworn oath will not be tolerated.»
MINNESOTA POLICE CHIEFS ALLEGE SOME ICE AGENTS RACIALLY PROFILED US CITIZENS, INCLUDING OFF-DUTY OFFICERS
Federal law enforcement agents confront anti-ICE protesters during a demonstration outside the Bishop Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 15, 2026. (Getty Images)
The case centered on Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna and Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, two Venezuelan nationals initially accused of attacking an ICE officer during what authorities described as a targeted traffic stop.
U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen moved to dismiss the charges, citing «newly discovered evidence» that was «materially inconsistent» with allegations outlined in the criminal complaint and earlier court testimony. A federal judge granted the motion on Friday. In court, video footage and witness testimony reportedly failed to support claims that the ICE agent had been assaulted with a shovel and broom, according to the AP.
JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP ADMIN FROM ‘DESTROYING OR ALTERING’ EVIDENCE IN DEADLY MINNEAPOLIS SHOOTING
Todd Lyons, acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is pictured on Feb. 12, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
According to a previous announcement from DHS, officers attempted to arrest Sosa-Celis on Jan. 14 when he allegedly fled the scene in his vehicle, crashed into a parked car and ran on foot.
DHS said at the time that an agent caught up with him and that Sosa-Celis resisted and assaulted him.
The agency alleged that two additional men — Aljorna and Gabriel Alejandro Hernandez-Ledezma — then struck the officer with a snow shovel and broom handle before the agent fired a shot, striking Sosa-Celis in the leg.
All three men were taken into custody after retreating into an apartment, and both the officer and Sosa-Celis were hospitalized, according to authorities.
FEDERAL JUDGE BACKS AWAY FROM THREAT TO HOLD ICE LEADER IN CONTEMPT
ICE arrested three men who were allegedly involved in hitting an agent with a shovel during an enforcement operation. (DHS and Jeff Wheeler/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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The officers’ names were not released. It remains unclear whether the Venezuelan nationals could face possible deportation.
Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Starmer sends UK strike group to Arctic, cites rising Russia threat as Trump pushes Greenland deal
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the United Kingdom will deploy its aircraft carrier strike group to the North Atlantic and the High North later this year, marking a show of force as security tensions escalate across Europe.
Speaking on Saturday at the annual Munich Security Conference in Germany, Starmer said the mission would be led by HMS Prince of Wales and carried out alongside the U.S., Canada and other NATO allies.
«I can announce today that the U.K. will deploy our carrier strike group to the North Atlantic and the High North this year, led by HMS Prince of Wales, operating alongside the U.S., Canada and other NATO allies, in a powerful show of our commitment to Euro-atlantic security,» Starmer told the high-profile forum aimed at strengthening European defense and diplomatic ties.
NATO LAUNCHES ARCTIC SECURITY PUSH AS TRUMP EYES GREENLAND TAKEOVER
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer takes part in a panel discussion with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen during the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Feb. 14, 2026. (Stefan Rousseau/Pool via REUTERS)
The High North — a term referring to the Arctic and surrounding regions — has become increasingly strategic amid growing Russian military activity.
The deployment is intended to bolster security against potential Russian threats, according to BBC News.
The announcement comes as President Donald Trump has repeatedly reiterated interest in the U.S. acquiring Greenland, citing national security concerns in the Arctic regarding Russia and China.
Starmer warned that Moscow’s military buildup could intensify even if a peace agreement is reached in Ukraine, arguing that Russian rearmament would «only accelerate.»
UK PRIME MINISTER OUTRAGED AFTER MANCHESTER UNITED CO-OWNER WARNS COUNTRY IS BEING ‘COLONIZED’ BY MIGRANTS
People with umbrellas walk past a pedestrian bridge with the logo of the Munich Security Conference in Munich, southern Germany on Feb. 12, 2026. (THOMAS KIENZLE / AFP via Getty Images)
Europe, he said, must be prepared to «deter aggression» and, if necessary, be ready to fight.
«We must build our hard power, because that is the currency of the age,» he said.
The carrier strike group is an international naval task force led by the Royal Navy. It consists of one aircraft carrier, about 40 aircraft, a frigate, a destroyer, a submarine and a supply ship, according to BBC News.
HMS Prince of Wales, a roughly $3.5 billion aircraft carrier, serves as the Royal Navy’s flagship, BBC News reported.
TROOPS FROM EUROPE DEPLOY TO GREENLAND IN RAPID 2-DAY MISSION AS TRUMP EYES US TAKEOVER
Trump has previously threatened tariffs on Britain and other European countries unless an agreement is reached allowing the U.S. to take control of the Danish territory.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer takes part in a panel discussion with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen during the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, on Feb. 14, 2026. (Stefan Rousseau/Pool via REUTERS)
After meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in late January, Trump announced that he would not impose tariffs that were set to take effect Feb. 1 given they formed the «framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region.»
Trump told reporters outside the White House on Friday that the administration is «negotiating right now for Greenland,» adding that, «We get along very well with Europe.»
The president was also asked about the Munich Security Conference.
«If it wasn’t for me, they’d be paying 2% and not paying,» Trump said of NATO allies. «They’re paying 5% and they’re paying. We have a very good relationship with NATO.»
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The three-day Munich conference brings together world leaders, defense chiefs and security officials.
Starmer did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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