France’s foreign minister slammed President Trump on Friday over his criticism of the European Union, vowing that the EU would not be “destabilized” by Trump’s rhetoric.
The New York Post reports that Jean-Yves Le Drian said on BFM television that Trump “can’t tolerate that there is an ensemble called the European Union.”
“Europe will not let itself be destabilized,” Le Drian added.
{mosads}His comments come after Trump told a British newspaper on Thursday that U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May’s “soft Brexit” approach that would allow the country to remain economically close to the EU meant that plans for a major U.S.-U.K. trade deal were likely off, as the Trump administration would favor a deal with the EU.
“If they do a deal like that, we would be dealing with the European Union instead of dealing with the U.K., so it will probably kill the deal,” Trump said in an interview with The Sun.
“I would have done it much differently,” Trump added of May’s Brexit plan. “I actually told Theresa May how to do it, but she didn’t listen to me.”
Trump has frequently criticized the EU on trade issues, accusing the multi-nation body of being “possibly as bad” as China when it comes to unfair trade practices.
During an April meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump reportedly suggested that France exit the EU in a manner similar to Britain’s “Brexit.”
“Why don’t you leave the EU?” Trump reportedly asked.
The EU is one many trade partners currently challenging Trump’s steep tariffs on steel and aluminum.