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The US leader has threatened major trade penalties against French wine and champagne after the President Macron appeared to snub his peace board plans.
16:29, Tue, Jan 20, 2026 Updated: 16:29, Tue, Jan 20, 2026
Emmanuel Macron has reportedly refused to join Trump's new 'Board of Peace' (Image: Getty)
Donald Trump has drawn battle lines with NATO ally France by threatening to levy 200% tariffs on its wine and champagne industry. The US President's relationship with Europe as a whole has soured over his insistence on acquiring sovereignty of Greenland, possibly by military force. But French President Emmanuel Macron has voiced particular opposition to the attempted wresting of the Danish territory, warning against a "new colonial approach" and branding Mr Trump's threat of tariffs on those who oppose him "unacceptable".
Mr Macron has also suggested European allies activate a so-called "trade bazooka" against the US after Mr Trump threatened to hit member states with 10% tariffs from February 1 unless they agree to his purchase of Greenland. It was the French leader's reluctance to join Mr Trump's new Board of Peace, which could also include Russian President Vladimir Putin, that touched a nerve for the White House, however.
Donald Trump shared screenshots of a message from Mr Macron hours after threatening 200% tariffs (Image: Getty)
After learning of Mr Macron's reported refusal to join the board, Mr Trump said: "Did he say that? Well, nobody wants him because he'll 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."
Hours after making the comments in an interview with C-Span, the US President posted screenshots of messages from Mr Macron to his Truth Social platform.
In the exchange, which is reported to be authentic, Mr Macron wrote: "I do not understand what you are doing to Greenland".
He also offered to set up a G7 meeting with Ukraine and Russia, and suggested the pair have dinner in Paris after attending the World Economic Forum in Davos this week.
Mr Macron, whose stance towards Mr Trump has oscillated between flattery and tough rhetoric since his first term, is due to leave office in mid-2027 after a decade in post.
The UK was also caught in the crosshairs of Mr Trump's flurry of Truth Social posts overnight, with some of his most strident criticism reserved for the Government's Chagos Islands deal.
He hit out at Prime Minister Keir Starmer's plans to hand the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius, calling it "an act of great stupidity" and citing it as a reason for his pursuit of Greenland.
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"There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness," he wrote.
The UK Government has insisted the deal is necessary following international court judgements that put the status of the islands and the UK-US Diego Garcia military base at risk.
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