French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a scathing assessment of Washington's temporary tariff reprieve through social media on Thursday (April 10), dismissing President Donald Trump's suspension of new EU tariffs as a "fragile pause" that fails to address core trade disputes.
The French leader acknowledged the 90-day suspension creates negotiation space but stressed existing U.S. tariffs remain punishing: 25% on European steel, aluminum, and autos plus 10% on other goods, collectively affecting €52 billion in EU exports. This uncertainty imposes economic pressure on transatlantic businesses, Macron said.
Asserting European unity, the president vowed to pursue permanent solutions through talks while urging proactive defense of continental interests. France and Europe will remain vigilant, employing all necessary means to safeguard jobs and our economic future, he declared, signaling readiness for escalated countermeasures should negotiations stall.
The rebuke comes as Brussels prepares retaliatory options ahead of the June deadline, with European Commission studies showing U.S. tariffs have already cost EU exporters €6.4 billion since 2018. Macron's forceful response underscores growing European impatience with what officials characterize as Washington's economic coercion tactics.
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