People protest against Trump's policy towards Greenland in front of the US consulate in Nuuk, Greenland, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. File AP/PTI photo
France mocks Greenland move, snubs Board of Peace; Trump warns of 200 pc tariff
US president lashes out after Emmanuel Macron rejects invitation to join Gaza reconstruction group and mocks Washington's strategic fixation on Greenland
US President Donald Trump has turned his ire on France, threatening to impose 200 per cent tariffs on French wine and champagne after Paris rejected his invitation to join his proposed "Board of Peace".
Initially conceived to oversee the reconstruction of war-torn Gaza, the Board of Peace’s charter now extends beyond the Palestinian territory. France, however, dismissed the idea of joining the board, saying it “does not intend to answer favourably.”
Trump escalated tensions by posting on Truth Social a private message from French President Emmanuel Macron, in which Macron expressed agreement on Iran and Syria but questioned Trump’s focus on Greenland: “I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland?”
France mocks Greenland fixation
Trump's all-out attack on France came after Paris derided Washington by mocking US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's justification of why Trump is fixated on Greenland, which is part of Denmark. The French Foreign Ministry mocked Washington’s Arctic rationale with sarcastic analogies: “If there were a fire someday, firefighters would intervene – so better burn the house now.”
Also read: Trump slaps 10 pc tariff on 8 European countries for opposing US control of Greenland
Other analogies included eating lifeguards to prevent shark attacks and ramming cars to avoid crashes.
"I'll put a 200 per cent tariff on his wines and champagnes. And he'll join. But he doesn't have to join," Trump said, referring to Macron.
Invitation for dinner
Meanwhile, the French president offered to meet Trump and other G7 leaders on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, noting he could also invite Ukrainians, Danes, Syrians and Russians. He also offered to take Trump out to dinner on Thursday.
Also read: A year into Trump 2.0, Europe’s faith in US fading fast
The development came after news agency AFP reported that France "does not intend to answer favourably" to Trump's 'Board of Peace' invitation.
US rationale
France had responded to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defence of Trump's Greenland push, arguing the president was focused on future threats from Russia in the Arctic. According to Bessent, the fight for the Artic is real because if Greenland was attacked, America would get dragged in and was preempting such a move.