French President Emmanuel Macron arrived at the NATO summit in Ankara on Tuesday still wearing his now-familiar gold aviator sunglasses, prompting a fresh wave of social media commentary that has become almost as reliable a fixture at major diplomatic events as the summits themselves.
The Élysée Palace has confirmed the explanation each time the glasses appear: a recurring subconjunctival hemorrhage, a burst blood vessel in the eye that causes redness and mild light sensitivity. The condition is entirely harmless, the palace said, but noticeable under camera flashes and bright lights, making the reflective lenses a practical solution rather than a fashion statement. Macron first addressed it publicly at a military ceremony in January 2026.
The glasses, gold-framed aviators from French eyewear brand Henry Jullien, have now gone viral three times this year, at Davos in January, in Damascus on Tuesday during his landmark visit to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, and again in Ankara hours later. Each appearance has triggered Top Gun comparisons and memes suggesting Macron is projecting toughness amid his complicated relationship with US President Donald Trump, who is also at the summit.
The Élysée has not commented on the memes.
