Trump Threatens 200% Tariffs on French Liqour After Macron Rejects 'Board of Peace' Invitation

Washington: US President Donald Trump has escalated tensions with France by threatening to impose 200% tariffs on French wines and champagnes, following French President Emmanuel Macron's reported refusal to join Trump's proposed "Board of Peace" initiative.

Speaking to reporters, Trump directly linked the tariff threat to Macron's decision, stating, "Nobody wants him because he's going to be out of office very soon. I'll put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes, and he'll join. But he doesn't have to join."

The "Board of Peace," originally proposed to oversee the reconstruction of war-torn Gaza, appears to have a broader mandate for mediating global conflicts, according to its charter.

In a further escalation, Trump shared a screenshot of a private text message from Macron on his Truth Social platform. In the message, Macron expressed alignment with Trump on issues related to Iran and Syria but conveyed confusion over the US president's actions regarding Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory that has been a focal point of Trump's interest. Macron also proposed a meeting with Trump and other G7 leaders on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, suggesting invitations to representatives from Ukraine, Denmark, Syria, and Russia, and offered to host Trump for dinner in Paris on Thursday.

The diplomatic spat intensified after France publicly signaled it would not accept the invitation to the board. A source close to Macron told AFP that the body's scope "goes beyond the sole framework of Gaza," and tariff threats aimed at influencing French foreign policy were deemed "unacceptable" and "ineffective."

The row was further fueled by France's sharp mockery of US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's defense of Trump's Greenland ambitions. Bessent had argued that potential future Russian threats in the Arctic could draw the US into conflict under NATO obligations, justifying proactive US interest in the territory.

In response, the official French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs account on X posted sarcastic analogies ridiculing the logic: "If there were a fire someday, firefighters would intervene – so better burn the house now." It continued, "If a shark might attack someday, intervention would follow – so better eat the lifeguard now," and "If there were a crash someday, damage would occur – so better ram the car now."

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