PARIS (Politico) - French MEP and presidential candidate Raphael Glucksmann accused U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday of either being a “useful idiot” or an agent of Europe’s destruction.
“There is, at the head of the United States, someone who is either a useful idiot or an agent of the destruction of European strength and freedom,” Glucksmann said at POLITICO’s Competitiveness Summit.
He criticized Trump’s decision to ease restrictions on Russian diesel exports, saying Russia’s war against Ukraine directly targeted Europeans.
He also demanded stronger European defense capabilities and joint investment, and warned against the prospect of far-right leader Marine Le Pen becoming president in 2027.
Former French prime minister and presidential candidate Edouard Philippe called for greater European investment in artificial intelligence (AI), warning that falling behind the U.S. and China could undermine European sovereignty.
“The world of AI is using American capital with European savings and data, and that annoys me because this is a question of sovereignty,” said Philippe.
He called for mobilizing European savings to support digital companies such as French AI startup Mistral and criticized German search engine Ecosia’s decision to stop using its models in favor of Chinese alternatives.
Philippe also called for joint French-German projects in strategic sectors and global regulation of AI research, development and use.
French politician Bruno Retailleau criticized European trade and regulatory policies, arguing that unfair competition and excessive domestic regulation had weakened France’s industrial base.
“I am in favor of free trade, but I want it to be fair and equitable,” he said, warning that Europe risked becoming a “Chinese industrial protectorate” and an “American digital protectorate.”
Retailleau also argued that a technology-neutral approach to the EU’s 2035 vehicle targets would give manufacturers more flexibility.
He said France was lagging in robotics and AI adoption for small and medium-sized businesses, calling for greater support to help them grow.