Why Emmanuel Macron is wearing sunglasses at Davos 2026. Bizarre Brigitte Macron links surface

French President Emmanuel Macron drew attention at the World Economic Forum in Davos after appearing on stage wearing aviator-style sunglasses

Published on: Jan 20, 2026, 21:28:33 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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French President Emmanuel Macron drew attention at the World Economic Forum in Davos after appearing on stage wearing aviator-style sunglasses. The 48-year-old delivered remarks on Monday against the backdrop of fresh tensions with the United States and President Donald Trump.

France's President Emmanuel Macron attends the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos (REUTERS)

Earlier in the day, Trump leaked private messages between the two leaders, pushing his claims about acquiring Greenland.

Why Emmanuel Macron was wearing sunglasses at Davos

Questions about the sunglasses were quickly linked to a recent eye issue Macron had already addressed publicly. Days before Davos, the French president explained that his visibly swollen and reddened eye was caused by what he described as a ‘completely harmless’ condition. He first acknowledged the issue during a New Year's address to France’s armed forces.

Speaking to troops at the Istres air base in southern France, Macron opened his remarks by saying, “Please pardon the unsightly appearance of my eye,” before reassuring them, “It is, of course, something completely harmless," he said.

Earlier that same day, Macron was seen wearing sunglasses during an outdoor inspection with the military, again with a noticeably puffy, red eye. He later sought to defuse concern with humor, joking, “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 famous Survivor song from Rocky III.

Brigitte Macron memes surface

While Macron clarified that he had issues with his eye, social media users recalled the infamous Brigitte Macron slap incident.

Last year, a video promoted by Russian state media and French far-right accounts went viral, showing the French president's wife appearing to shove him on a flight in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Brigitte Macron's body was not visible in the video. Emmanuel Macron addressed the footage, telling reporters that the gesture was intended to be playful. These theories on social media are simply bizarre and there is no link to why Macron is wearing sunglasses.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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