US Secretary of State Marco Rubio slams Macron’s call for Europe to distance itself from America

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio sharply criticized French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday after Macron advocated for greater European “strategic autonomy” from the United States, suggesting the continent should avoid entanglement in American-led conflicts.
Rubio’s rebuke came in response to comments Macron made following a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, in which the French leader pushed for Europe to chart a more independent path and refrain from intervening in U.S. wars, including potential scenarios involving Taiwan.
“Macron just said Europe must break away from the US and not intervene in its wars,” Rubio stated. “When Macron tried to play superpower and fight terrorism in Africa, he couldn’t even fly his troops there — we had to fly them for him.”
The pointed remark references France’s military operations in the Sahel region, particularly operations against Islamist militants in Mali and other countries, where the United States provided logistical support, including strategic airlift capabilities, to French forces.
Macron has long championed the idea of European strategic autonomy, arguing that the European Union should develop its own defense capabilities and reduce reliance on Washington. His latest comments align with this longstanding position but come at a time of heightened transatlantic tensions and shifting global alliances.
The exchange underscores ongoing debates within Europe about its security relationship with the United States, especially as European nations grapple with the war in Ukraine, energy security, and growing competition between Washington and Beijing.
No immediate response from the French government was reported following Rubio’s statement.