Trump's announcement of sweeping tariffs - 20% on European products and 34% on Chinese goods - dominated French media throughout the day. Morning coverage focused on the economic impact, with European markets opening sharply lower and François Bayrou calling it a "catastrophe for the world economy."
By midday, the French government signaled its readiness for "retaliation on American products and services," particularly targeting digital services. Economic experts warned of a potential "Trumpcession" for the global economy.
The afternoon saw Macron convening a crisis meeting with representatives of affected industries, denouncing Trump's decision as "brutal and unfounded." Macron escalated Europe's response by calling for French companies to suspend investments in the United States. By evening, Canada had joined the resistance, imposing 25% tariffs on US vehicles while European officials worked to coordinate a unified response through targeted countermeasures.