President Emmanuel Macron delivered his New Year's vows to the armed forces on January 15 at the Istres airbase, appearing with a red right eye he described as 'totally benign.' He joked about the incident by linking it to the 'eye of the tiger,' a symbol of determination. Amid geopolitical tensions, he announced a military reinforcement in Greenland.
On January 15, 2026, Emmanuel Macron addressed the French armed forces at the Istres airbase in Bouches-du-Rhône, before a thousand guests including Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin and her delegate Alice Rufo. Prior to his 12:30 p.m. speech, an emergency defense council was held at the Élysée at 8 a.m. to discuss protests in Iran and U.S. threats over Greenland.
Arriving with large aviator glasses hiding his gaze, the president apologized for the 'unaesthetic' appearance of his red right eye: 'I beg your pardon for the unaesthetic nature of my eye. It's just something totally benign,' he said. According to the Élysée's chief physician, it was a small blood vessel that had burst, with no seriousness. Joking, Macron added: 'See it simply as an involuntary reference to the eye of the tiger at the start of the year. For those who get the reference, it's a sign of determination. It is entire.' This allusion may refer to Georges Clemenceau, nicknamed the Tiger, or the film Rocky III.
On substance, Macron called for increased efforts in a 'brutal world': 'To be powerful in this brutal world, we must go faster and stronger.' He announced the deployment of land, air, and maritime assets to support the first French soldiers in Greenland, Denmark's autonomous territory threatened by Donald Trump's claims. 'Europeans have a particular responsibility,' he stated, denouncing 'a new colonialism at work among some' without naming the United States. France is joining a European mission with Sweden and Germany.
He also addressed Iran, calling for respect for the civilian population and an end to the regime's 'odious attacks,' as well as the war in Ukraine. On the budget, he reiterated the request for an additional 3.5 billion euros in 2026, bringing defense spending to 2% of GDP, a target met since 2025. The military programming law provides for 413 billion euros from 2024 to 2030, with annual spending reaching 64 billion euros by 2027.
After the speech, Macron lunched with the military, toured the base, and boarded an Airbus A330 MRTT piloted by astronaut Thomas Pesquet, a reserve colonel, to observe an in-flight Rafale refueling and a medical evacuation demonstration.
