France warns US against digital tax retaliation

France’s top finance minister on Monday warned U.S. officials against implementing tariffs or other measures aimed at harming the French economy, a month after U.S. officials proposed steep duties on French exports.

In a radio interview, Bruno Le Maire warned that France would retaliate should the U.S. impose tariffs aimed at France’s exports over dissatisfaction with a new French digital services tax that will affect several top U.S. tech firms, according to Reuters.

“If the Americans decide to go ahead and impose sanctions against the digital tax … in this case, we would retaliate,” he reportedly said.

“If there were to be sanctions, and it is a possibility that we will take sanctions, we would immediately contact the WTO [World Trade Organization],” Le Maire added.

President Trump first threatened tariffs against France in July of last year, rebuking French President Emmanuel Macron for “foolishness” after the digital services tax was signed into law.

In early December, 100 percent tariffs were officially proposed against exports of French cheeses, sparkling wines, beauty products and other goods, with U.S. officials releasing a report blaming the digital services tax as a barrier to trade with the U.S.

“I’m not going to let people take advantage of American companies,” Trump said in December, according to CNN. “If anyone is going to take advantage of the American companies, it’s going to be us, it’s not going to be France.”