At the European summit in Budapest, Emmanuel Macron emphasized the need for Europe to assert its strategic autonomy, especially after Donald Trump’s election victory. He urged European nations to act in defense of their national and collective interests rather than relying on American security. Macron warned against allowing external powers like Russia and China to shape European history and raised a metaphor about the global power dynamics, advocating for Europe to be ‘omnivores’ who can defend themselves rather than passive ‘herbivores’.