Since his return to the White House, Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to control the mineral-rich, strategically located island.
During his speech, the French president also delivered a forceful defense of multilateralism, six months after the U.S. left the Paris climate agreement — the 2015 framework aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions — for a second time under Trump.
“To win the battle for the oceans, we need to revive multilateralism,” he said.
Speaking out against resurgent climate skepticism, Macron said: “Climate and biodiversity are not an question of opinion but a scientifically established fact.”