Macron calls Musk over-subsidised, backs EU industry Published on: February 12, 2026 6:30 PM French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday called Elon Musk “over-subsidised” and urged Europe to invest more in domestic industries. Speaking at an industrial summit in Antwerp, he cited US public funding for Musk’s Starlink as a reason for a “Buy European” approach. Macron argued that joint EU borrowing is essential to compete economically with the US and China. “If you look at the US, you have a lot of private money…but you have a lot of public money,” Macron said. He added that Starlink benefited from billions of taxpayer dollars and described Musk’s support as “super-innovative.” The president stressed that European industries should receive similar backing to remain competitive globally.