U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to impose 200% tariffs on French wines and champagne after reports suggested that French President Emmanuel Macron was unwilling to join the proposed “Peace Board” for Gaza.
Asked by a reporter in Miami about Macron’s stance, Trump downplayed the French leader’s influence and said he would use trade penalties as leverage.
“Well, nobody wants him because he’ll be out very soon,” Trump said. “So that’s fine. What I’ll do is, if they’re feeling hostile, I’ll put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagne, and he’ll join. But he doesn’t have to join.”
Macron’s five-year presidential term ends in May 2027, and under French law he is not eligible to run for a third term.
The Peace Board is a global body approved by the UN Security Council in November last year, established to oversee the Israel–Hamas ceasefire.
Invitations to join the board have reportedly been sent to several world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Trump also reiterated his plans to take control of Greenland, downplaying the likelihood of European opposition.
“I don’t think they’ll object very much,” he said. “We need to have it… They can’t protect it.”
Referring to Denmark’s historical claims over Greenland, Trump said Danish leaders were “very nice people,” but argued that centuries-old presence does not constitute ownership.
“Just because a ship went there 500 years ago and then left, that doesn’t give you title,” Trump said, without clarifying which “ship” he was referring to.
