French President Emmanuel Macron has sought to defuse speculation about his health after appearing at the World Economic Forum in Davos wearing sunglasses indoors, with officials and French media attributing the unusual look to a minor eye condition that the Élysée Palace has described as harmless.
Macron, 48, was photographed arriving at events and later speaking while wearing reflective aviator-style shades, prompting questions online and drawing attention from other leaders attending the annual gathering in the Swiss resort town. The forum’s 56th annual meeting runs from 19 to 23 January and has brought together dozens of heads of state and government alongside business executives for talks dominated this year by geopolitical tensions and security.
The sunglasses, Macron’s office said, were intended to cover the appearance of a burst blood vessel in one of his eyes, a condition known medically as a subconjunctival haemorrhage. The condition can look alarming but is typically painless and does not affect vision.
Macron has addressed the matter with humour in recent days. During a speech to French armed forces earlier this month, he apologised for what he called “the unsightly appearance” of his eye and said it was “something completely harmless.” He also made a joking reference that later resurfaced in Davos, telling an audience to “simply see an unintentional reference to the ‘Eye of the Tiger’ … For those who catch the reference, it is a sign of determination,” a nod to the song made famous by the Rocky film franchise.
In Davos, the sunglasses became a talking point during remarks by US President Donald Trump, who used part of his appearance at the forum to renew public arguments over Greenland, the Arctic territory that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. “I watched him yesterday, with those beautiful sunglasses. What the hell happened?” Trump said, referring to Macron, after a wider riff in which he claimed NATO allies once praised him before he raised the issue of the territory.
Trump’s comments came as he attempted to cast his push for Greenland as a matter of Western security while also mixing in the kind of off-the-cuff language that has repeatedly generated headlines during the Davos meeting. In the same remarks, Trump said: “I’m helping Europe. I’m helping NATO, and until the last few days when I told them about Iceland, they loved me. They called me daddy. A very smart man said, ‘He’s our daddy, he’s running it.’ … But now what I’m asking for is a piece of ice, cold and poorly located.” The remarks were followed by renewed criticism from European politicians and renewed statements of support for Denmark from several leaders.
Macron has not suggested he had any difficulty seeing during his Davos appearances, and French officials have said the sunglasses were worn to avoid drawing attention to the visible redness in his eye. Subconjunctival haemorrhages can be caused by routine triggers such as vigorous sneezing, coughing, rubbing the eye, or minor injury, and they often resolve without treatment over days or weeks.
The episode has nonetheless become an unlikely distraction at a summit intended to focus on global economic outlooks and diplomatic initiatives. Several European officials arrived in Davos seeking to coordinate positions on security, trade and the future of support for Ukraine, as well as the implications of US policy under Trump’s renewed pressure on allies. Organisers said this year’s annual meeting has drawn one of the largest gatherings of political leaders in Davos’s history.
Macron’s Davos schedule included meetings and public remarks alongside other leaders and executives, with France positioning itself as a key player in European defence and industrial policy. In his earlier address to the armed forces, Macron set out priorities for 2026 including continued support for Ukraine and efforts to accelerate rearmament, framing the agenda against what he described as a deteriorating security environment.
The sunglasses themselves also drew attention in France, where the manufacturer of the frames Macron wore was quickly identified and saw a surge of public interest. French reports and social media users tracked the style as the images circulated from Davos, with many commenting on the contrast between the formal setting and what resembled a fashion accessory more than a medical cover. Macron’s office has not indicated any further medical issue beyond the eye condition.
While the viral moment has prompted jokes, the medical explanation has been consistent across statements attributed to Macron and reporting citing the Élysée Palace. Medical specialists generally describe subconjunctival haemorrhages as benign, though they can look striking because the blood spreads across the white of the eye.
For Macron, the incident has landed amid a week in which Davos has featured repeated unscripted moments and sharp exchanges between leaders, as well as intense scrutiny of tone and symbolism. Trump’s renewed focus on Greenland has heightened unease among European allies, and his remarks at the forum have repeatedly sparked reactions from politicians and diplomats following the proceedings.
Macron, who has often used humour to manage personal or political pressure, has leaned into the attention rather than avoiding it. By joking about an “Eye of the Tiger” reference, he appeared to frame the issue as cosmetic while projecting resolve at a time when France is trying to shape European responses to global instability.
As the forum continues through Friday, Macron is expected to maintain meetings with counterparts and business leaders while France pushes its message on security, competitiveness and industrial policy. The Élysée Palace has indicated the eye condition is minor, and there has been no suggestion from French officials of any interruption to the president’s duties.