France Warns US of Mutual Losses if Trump Follows Through on Tariff Threats

France has warned that the United States would also suffer significant losses if former US President Donald Trump follows through on threats to impose sweeping tariffs on European countries opposing his proposal to acquire Greenland.

French Minister of Agriculture Annie Genevard said Washington would have “a lot to lose” if trade tensions escalate, stressing that US farmers and manufacturers would be among those harmed.

“If President Trump escalates a trade war, he will have much to lose as well, along with American farmers and industrial producers,” Genevard said in comments to Europe 1 radio and CNews television.

Trump has threatened to impose 10% tariffs starting February 1, 2026, on all goods exported to the United States from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland.

All of the targeted countries are members of the European Union, except for the United Kingdom and Norway.

Trump said the tariffs would rise to 25% starting June 1, unless an agreement is reached on what he described as the “full and complete purchase” of Greenland, arguing that the Arctic island is strategically vital for US national security.

The European Union has called for an emergency meeting of EU ambassadors in Brussels on Sunday afternoon to assess the situation and discuss possible responses to the US threats.

Genevard said the EU possesses “potential trade deterrence power,” but emphasized that any response should be handled with caution.

“This escalation could be devastating,” she said, adding that “it could be devastating for the United States as well.”

The French minister made clear that any US attempt to acquire Greenland would be “unacceptable,” stressing that Europe would not allow Washington to act unilaterally.

“Europeans will not allow the United States to do whatever it wants,” Genevard said.

The warning highlights growing transatlantic tensions as trade, security, and geopolitical interests increasingly intersect, raising the prospect of a broader trade confrontation with consequences on both sides of the Atlantic.