Why Emmanuel Macron Wore Sunglasses Indoors at Davos 2026

During his address at the Davos summit on Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron captured global attention not only for his strong critique of US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on eight European nations over Greenland, but also for his unusual choice of eyewear.

Macron appeared before world leaders wearing reflective blue aviator sunglasses indoors. While the French leader did not directly address his eyewear during the speech, local reports suggest he is managing a medical condition.

Earlier, Macron had appeared at a military event in southern France with a visibly red eye, wearing a similar pair of sunglasses. At that time, he downplayed the issue, describing it as “totally benign” and “completely insignificant,” and joked, calling it “l’oeil du tigre” or the “eye of the tiger,” referencing Survivor’s iconic song from Rocky III. He explained, “For those who get the reference, it’s a sign of determination.”

Medical experts indicated that Macron likely had a sub-conjunctival hemorrhage, a harmless broken blood vessel in the eye that is painless, does not affect vision, and typically clears within two weeks. The condition can occur after sneezing, coughing, or rubbing the eye, and is more common in people with high blood pressure or diabetes.

Commenting on Macron’s eyewear choice, Dr. Jimmy Mohamed told RTL, “Some people might think he’s ill, so to avoid being photographed in that state, he decided to wear sunglasses. The glasses protect his image, but not really his eye.”

Social media reactions varied, with some calling Macron “kéké,” French slang for a show-off, while others likened him to a “cyborg” or Top Gun actor Tom Cruise, referencing the aviator style.

In his speech, Macron warned against “a world without rules, where international law is trampled underfoot” and highlighted the dangers of using tariffs “as leverage against territorial sovereignty.” He also addressed the threat of 200% tariffs on French wine and champagne imposed by Trump over France’s refusal to join the “Board of Peace” for Gaza.