On April 3, 2025, French President Emmanuel Macron condemned U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to impose steep tariffs on imports, characterizing it as 'brutal and unfounded' during a meeting at the Élysée Palace with key representatives from the affected industries.

Trump has enacted a decree introducing a minimum 10% tariff on all imports entering the United States, with a substantial 20% imposed on products from the European Union.

In light of these developments, Macron expressed concerns about the economic repercussions for American businesses and citizens, asserting that 'with the decisions made last night, the American economy and its people will emerge weakened and poorer.' He urged European nations to 'remain united' in response.

In his statements, Macron indicated that France and the wider European Union are prepared to exercise all available measures to respond, including a potential suspension of investments in the United States.

He outlined a 'two-stage European response' to the tariffs, with the first stage planned for mid-April targeting taxes previously decided on steel and aluminum.

The second, more comprehensive response addressing the newly announced tariffs, is expected at the end of the month after a thorough sector-by-sector analysis.

The economic community echoed Macron's distress, with Patrick Martin, president of the French business federation Medef, describing the announced measures as having 'extreme gravity' for both the European and potentially the American economies.

Martin called for firm negotiations with the U.S. and the implementation of support measures for the affected sectors.

The Élysée meeting convened representatives from major export sectors and industry leaders, including François Bayrou, who remarked that the U.S. decision threatens the notion of global stability, particularly within the Western sphere.

Participants included leaders from the aerospace industry—such as Guillaume Faury from Airbus—as well as agriculture, viticulture, chemistry, electronics, metallurgy, health, and cosmetics sectors.

Emmanuel Guichard, of the Federation of Beauty Enterprises (FEBEA), noted the significant impact of tariffs increasing from 0% to 20% for the cosmetic industry, predicting that it would either result in inflation or reduced sales volumes with the United States, which is their primary export market.

Notably absent from the meeting was representation from the automotive sector, which is facing a specific 25% tariff on imported vehicles.

The announcement of these new tariffs has significantly affected market sentiment, with the CAC 40 index in Paris dropping nearly 3% shortly before market closing.

In 2023, the United States was the fourth-largest export market for France, following Germany, Italy, and Belgium.

The aerospace sector is particularly vulnerable, accounting for €9 billion of exports to the U.S. in 2024, representing 20% of total French exports to the country.

Additionally, the luxury goods sector, as well as wines and cognac, are also at risk from the tariffs.

A spokesperson for Airbus stated that they are currently assessing the potential impacts of the new tariffs, emphasizing their extensive operations within the U.S. market.

France's wines, notably from Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne, significantly contribute to exports to the U.S., with €2.4 billion in grape wines and €1.5 billion in distilled spirits, including cognac, shipped in 2024. The Federation of French Wine and Spirits Exporters (FEVS) anticipates that the new tariffs could lead to a decline in exports to the U.S. by approximately €800 million, with significant implications for employment and the economy within that sector.

Trump’s recent announcements appear to have abandoned plans for a proposed 200% tax on European spirits that had been contemplated in mid-March.