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“You have to be feared in this world,” President Emmanuel Macron said, preparing France for an era in which it may no longer be able to count on the U.S.
July 13, 2025Updated 4:32 p.m. ET
President Emmanuel Macron of France, painting a somber picture of a threatening world, announced a sharp increase in military spending on Sunday in his traditional address to the armed forces on the eve of the Bastille Day national holiday.
“Our freedom has never been so threatened,” Mr. Macron said. “There are no more rules, it’s the law of the strongest that wins.” In this context, he added, “We Europeans must assure our security ourselves.”
His speech amounted to the strongest statement yet of the French view that old partnerships, particularly with President Trump’s America, have eroded; that the threat from Russia is acute; and that inhibitions over recourse to force in the world have disappeared.
“You have to be feared in this world,” Mr. Macron said. “And to be feared you have to be strong.” He added that “American disengagement” left Europe with no choice but to defend itself.
Mr. Macron announced that, given the mounting threats, military spending would accelerate to reach $74.8 billion by 2027, when Mr. Macron, who is term limited, will leave office. In all, the military budget will grow by 6.5 billion euros, or $7.6 billion, over the next two years.
Military spending stood at $37.64 billion in 2017 when Mr. Macron took office, so it will in effect have doubled in a decade. But it still represents only 2 percent of total economic output today. NATO agreed last month to increase military spending by all 32 member states to 5 percent of national income by 2035.
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