Trump threatens 200% tariffs on French wine over Macron Gaza board snub

(Sharecast News) - US President Trump threatened to slap 200% tariffs on French wine and champagne if his counterpart Emmanuel Macron snubbed his planned Gaza "Board of Peace". Trump has invited the leaders of several countries to join the controversial body, which he wants to oversee the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and supervise a reconstruction of Gaza's shattered infrastructure after years of Israeli bombing.

A senior French official on Monday said the European nation did not intend to join the group, citing worries around how the board could undermine the United Nations.

When asked about the French position, Trump dismissed Macron as lacking influence and said he would be "out of office in a few months".

"I'll put a 200 percent tariff on his wines and Champagnes, and he'll join, but he doesn't have to join," he told reporters.

The aggressive tone follows a threat to impose 10% tariffs on eight European nations opposed to his planned annexation of Greenland.

French agriculture minister Annie Genevard, said Trump's comments were a form of "blackmail". "It's shocking because it's brutal, it's done to force compliance," she told French television station TF1.

Countries invited to join include US allies such as Canada, Britain and Saudi Arabia, as well as the unlikely pairing of Russia and Belarus.

A handful of leaders, including pro-Trump Argentine president, Javier Milei, and Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary, have said they would join.

Trump in March threatened France with 200% tariffs on European wine, including Champagne, as part of his global trade war, although he did not follow through.

Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com