French president says he left US with 'little hope for progress' on tariffs dispute

By Necva Tastan Sevinc

ISTANBUL (AA) - French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that he left Washington with "very little hope" for resolving the ongoing tariff dispute with the US, citing fundamental misunderstandings in the Trump administration’s trade approach.

"I had personally raised the issue of tariffs during and after this trip, stating that the discussion had been difficult and that I was leaving with very little hope," Macron said during a joint press conference with Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro.

Macron said discussions with US officials had been difficult, particularly regarding Washington’s claim that the European value-added tax (VAT) functions as a tariff.

"This is factually incorrect," he stated, explaining that VAT applies equally to both domestic and imported goods.

Macron warned that tariffs harm all parties by driving inflation and argued that the US has not benefited from them.

He also criticized the American perception of a large trade deficit with Europe, calling it exaggerated.

"The US trade deficit with Europe is around €50 billion, a relatively minor imbalance in the context of our €1.5 trillion annual trade relationship," he said.

He also tied the dispute to broader geopolitical concerns, saying that imposing tariffs while Europe increases its defense investments would be a strategic mistake.

He warned that if the US proceeds with new tariffs on European products in April, the EU will respond with reciprocal measures.

"We cannot afford to appear weak in the face of such measures," he stated.

Beyond trade, Macron pointed to a broader shift in US foreign policy, highlighting Washington’s withdrawal from Afghanistan and disengagement in Syria as signs of a long-term pivot toward China and the Indo-Pacific.

"For seven years, I have been advocating for European sovereignty and strategic autonomy," he said, adding that Europe must now take decisive action to reduce its dependencies and strengthen its own defense, technology, and economic capabilities.

"The only answer is to become stronger," Macron said, emphasizing the importance of upcoming European summits on defense, security, and competitiveness.