France’s reluctance to join the US-led panel can be reversed with a trade tariff, the American president believes
US President Donald Trump has mocked French President Emmanuel Macron after France declined to join an American-led Gaza ‘Board of Peace’, saying Macron’s refusal is irrelevant and could be reversed with a threat of trade tariffs.
The Trump-chaired body, intended to oversee the transition in the war-ravaged Palestinian enclave, will include several US officials and businessmen. Invitations were also sent to multiple world leaders, but France publicly rejected the offer. Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said“the charter of the Board of Peace extends beyond Gaza and therefore exceeds the scope of the peace plan endorsed by the United Nations.”
When told by reporters on Monday that Macron, whose presidential term expires next year, had rejected the invitation, Trump said: “Well, nobody wants him, because he is going to be out of office very soon.”
“If they feel like hostile, I’ll put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagne. And he’ll join. But he doesn’t have to join,” he added.
US relations with Western European and Nordic nations are already strained over Trump’s push to acquire Greenland from Denmark, which he said will happen “the easy way or the hard way.” Last week, he announced tariffs on countries opposing his bid, including France.
Some critics view Trump’s proposed Board of Peace as an attack on the United Nations rather than a narrowly focused panel to implement the ceasefire deal signed last year between Israel and Hamas.
The US reportedly envisions the board as a permanent body with temporary memberships renewed for donations of at least $1 billion. The Trump administration previously defunded many UN programs, arguing the organization often works against American interests.
Russia has confirmed receiving an invitation for President Vladimir Putin to join the panel, saying it needs time to study the proposal.
