French media on July 13th was dominated by President Macron's accelerated defense agenda, culminating in his evening address. Building on earlier reports of new defense ambitions, Macron declared liberty "never so threatened" since 1945, calling for France to be "feared" and "powerful." He announced plans to double the defense budget by 2027, with an additional 6.5 billion euros for 2026-2027, emphasizing European self-reliance in security. Concurrently, Donald Trump's impending 30% tariffs on the EU remained a prominent international concern, with Europe extending its retaliatory tariff suspension while seeking a negotiated solution. Domestically, Prime Minister Bayrou's forthcoming austerity plan to find 40 billion euros in savings for 2026 also garnered significant attention, alongside the ongoing search for an escaped prisoner near Lyon and tragic reports of military deaths.