Trump threatened 200% tariffs on French wine and champagne to pressure Macron into joining the Gaza ‘Board of Peace’.
France has declined the proposal, citing concerns over UN principles and institutional legitimacy.
Diplomats warn the initiative and linked tariff threats could escalate trade tensions and undermine multilateral frameworks.
US President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to impose a 200% tariff on French wines and champagnes, seeking to pressure French President Emmanuel Macron to join his proposed Gaza ‘Board of Peace’, Reuters reported.
The remarks came after a reporter asked Trump about Macron’s reported refusal to participate in the initiative. “Did he say that? Well, nobody wants him because he will be out of office very soon,” Trump said, adding, “I’ll put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes, and he’ll join — but he doesn’t have to join.”
1 January 2026
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According to Reuters, citing a person close to Macron, France intends to decline the invitation. Trump first proposed establishing the Board of Peace last September, pitching it as a mechanism to stabilise Gaza after the end of the war. Invitations were sent to nearly 60 countries, including India, with documents seen by Reuters indicating that permanent members would be required to contribute $1 billion.
Several countries, including Russia, have reacted cautiously to the proposal, with diplomats warning that the initiative could undermine the authority and role of the United Nations.
Macron Pushes Back
Macron has raised concerns that the draft charter of the Board of Peace goes beyond Gaza and could infringe on established UN principles and institutional frameworks, which France considers non-negotiable, Bloomberg reported, citing a person close to the French president.
Trump is seeking to have the full constitution and mandate of the committee finalised at the World Economic Forum in Davos later this week, the report added.
Separately, Macron on Sunday criticised recent US tariff threats against Europe as “unacceptable,” warning that the European Union would respond in a unified and coordinated manner if such measures were implemented. Trump has announced plans to impose tariffs on several European countries beginning February 1, though the White House has not formally linked those measures to the Gaza initiative.
