US ties are 'transactional', France says, as Trump threatens EU tariffs

French government spokesperson Sophie Primas speaks during a press conference in Paris on January 15, 2025.

France's relations with US President Donald Trump are "transactional", the French government's spokesperson said Wednesday, adding that neither side wants to enter a trade war. Trump threatened a day earlier to impose tariffs on EU imports, complaining that European nations "treat us very, very badly".

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, French government spokesperson Sophie Primas said Europe had entered "a new phase" of negotiations with the United States, adding: "Neither Europe nor the USA has any interest in a trade escalation."

But she added that Europe must have as much resolve as the United States and must be ready to assert its own power and influence.

Trump threatened on Tuesday to hit the European Union with tariffs while speaking to reporters at the White House, citing the need to rectify the EU's trade imbalances with the United States

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"They treat us very, very badly. So they're going to be in for tariffs," Trump said of the EU. "You can't get fairness unless you do that."

A day earlier, Trump accused the bloc of not importing enough American products, saying he would "straighten that out" by imposing duties or by urging the EU to buy more oil and gas.

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters and AFP)


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