US President Donald Trump on Monday threatened that he would impose a 200 per cent tariff on French wines and champagne after Emmanuel Macron turned down his invitation to join a proposed Board of Peace for Gaza. The Republican supremo did not elaborate on this any further.
Claiming that nobody ‘wants’ the French President as he would be out of office very soon, Trump said that he would put a 200 per cent tariff on wines and champagnes of France. “I’ll put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes and he’ll join,” Bloomberg reported quoting Trump as saying.
French President Emmanuel Macron’s second term is scheduled to end in 2027 and he is repeatedly vowed not to leave office before that.
Macron resists joining Board of Peace for Gaza
Emmanuel Macron recently declined Donald Trump’s offer to come on board with the Board of Peace for Gaza with a person close to him telling Bloomberg that the president believes the charter goes beyond Gaza.
According to the report, Macron also thinks that the board raises significant concerns, particularly over respect for the principles and institutional framework of the United Nations, which France considers non-negotiable.
The board of peace also appeared to emerge as an alternative, or rival to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which led to one of its permanent member France to turn down the invitation.
According to reports, another reason behind Macron’s refusal to come aboard was the whopping $1 billion permanent membership fee for the board. People familiar with the matter have told Bloomberg that this membership fee could be driving world leaders to be hesitant in joining the board.
Macron’s rejection to the invite would possibly influence the next steps of the rest of Europe, that have been also invited to join the board.
Board of Peace for Gaza
The board of peace for Gaza is a part of the second phase of the US-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas after nearly two years of full fledged war between the two territories.
According to a draft charter for the proposed group accessed by Bloomberg, Trump would serve as its inaugural chairman and would have authority over membership decisions.
The body is expected to initially address the Gaza conflict, oversee the rebuilding, governance, investments and capital mobilisation in the war-torn region, Hindustan Times reported earlier.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Argentina’s Javier Milei and Canada’s Mark Carney are among prominent world leaders who have been invited by Donald Trump to join the board.