Trump Threatens 200% Tariffs On French Wine To Pressure Macron Over Global “Board Of Peace” Plan
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose 200 per cent tariffs on French wines and champagnes, escalating trade tensions with the European Union as part of an effort to pressure French President Emmanuel Macron into joining his proposed “Board of Peace” initiative aimed at resolving global conflicts.
Trump made the remarks amid reports that Macron intends to decline participation in the initiative, which the U.S. president says would initially focus on ending the war in Gaza before expanding to other global crises. Diplomats and analysts have raised concerns that the plan could undermine the role of the United Nations.
Responding to Macron’s reported reluctance, Trump dismissed the French leader, saying, “Nobody wants him because he will be out of office very soon.” He added, “I’ll put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes, and he’ll join — but he doesn’t have to join.”
Trade Threats Deepen EU–US Tensions
The tariff threat comes as Macron attends the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where aides confirmed he would not extend his stay to meet Trump, who is expected to arrive a day later.
Trump further escalated tensions by publicly sharing a private message from Macron expressing confusion over U.S. actions related to Greenland — another flashpoint in recent transatlantic relations.
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Currently, wines and spirits exported from the European Union to the United States face a 15 per cent tariff, a rate French officials have been lobbying to eliminate following a trade agreement reached last year between Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The United States remains the largest export market for French wines and spirits, with shipments valued at €3.8 billion in 2024. Industry leaders warn that renewed tariff threats could significantly disrupt investment decisions.
“This kind of uncertainty makes it harder for companies to invest and plan,” said Laurence Whyatt, Head of European Beverages Research at Barclays. “They will have to hold back cash and delay investments to weather future shocks.”
Markets React, France Pushes Back
Shares in luxury conglomerate LVMH, which owns major champagne brands including Moët & Chandon, fell by 2 per cent in early trading following Trump’s remarks.
Gabriel Picard, chairman of France’s wine and spirits export lobby FEVS, urged calm but seriousness, stressing that any response must be coordinated at the European level. He revealed that previous U.S. tariff measures had already reduced French wine and spirits exports to the U.S. by 20–25 per cent in late 2025.
France’s Farm Minister, Annie Genevard, described Trump’s approach as “brutal” and “a tool of blackmail,” insisting Europe must be prepared to retaliate, including through the EU’s Anti-Coercion Instrument.
An aide to Macron said the Elysee Palace rejected the use of tariff threats to influence another country’s foreign policy, calling it unacceptable.
Meanwhile, European officials are weighing countermeasures worth up to €93 billion, as governments react cautiously to Trump’s invitation to join the Board of Peace — a plan that would reportedly require member countries to contribute $1 billion for extended participation.