Donald Trump reçoit Emmanuel Macron à Londres, le 3 décembre 2019, lors du sommet du 70e anniversaire de l’OTAN. Le face-à-face rappelle une relation politique traversée par les tensions commerciales. Crédits : Dan Scavino / Executive Office of the President of the United States.
Donald Trump threatened, on Monday, June 15, 2026. He says he wants to impose 100% tariffs on French wines and champagnes. This sanction would target France if it keeps its tax on digital services. At the opening of the G7 in Évian-les-Bains, the American president turns an old tax dispute into direct trade pressure on an export sector already weakened.
A Threat Attributed To Trump, Not A US Decision
In an interview with the New York Post, Donald Trump says he asked Emmanuel Macron not to tax American companies. He claims that otherwise the United States would have “no choice.” The sanction would target French champagnes and wines, with a 100% tariff.
At this stage, no formal decision from the U.S. administration has been published by U.S. trade authorities. The statement should therefore be read as a political and customs threat, not as a tariff already in force. The AFP dispatch picked up by TradingView and RTÉ confirms the international circulation of the information. It also attributes the initial statement to the New York newspaper interview.
The pressure comes on the opening day of the G7 in Haute-Savoie. Emmanuel Macron is hosting Donald Trump and the other leaders of the major industrialized economies. The timing gives this outburst immediate diplomatic significance. The tax dispute becomes a summit issue rather than just a technical debate between administrations.
What France Actually Taxes
The French tax on certain digital services was created by the law of July 24, 2019. It does not legally target companies by nationality. It applies to digital activities tied to France: targeted advertising, intermediation between internet users, and the sale of data for advertising purposes.
The tax authorities specify on impots.gouv.fr that the tax targets large groups in these services. The threshold is set at €750 million worldwide, of which €25 million attributable to France. Its rate is 3% of amounts received for taxable digital services.
It is this mechanism that Donald Trump presents as a levy aimed at large American tech groups. The French interpretation is broader: the criteria are general. American companies in advertising, platforms, and data nonetheless remain at the heart of the standoff since 2019.
A Wine Sector Exposed To The U.S. Market
The choice of wine and champagne as targets is no accident. The United States remains one of the main outlets for the French wines and spirits sector. According to Pleinchamp, citing FEVS, sector exports fell 7.9% in 2025, to €14.3 billion. U.S. purchases dropped 21.2%, while still representing 21% of export turnover.
The industry reaction is already worried. In a statement reported by Reuters and carried by WTAQ, FEVS considers this threat unfavorable for an industry very dependent on exports. It sees itself caught in a conflict that goes beyond its own commercial decisions. After the sales drop to the United States in 2025, the organization calls for “responsible” behavior. It also demands balanced trade relations between Paris and Washington. The sector fears both the economic effect of a surtax and the uncertainty created even before any possible application.
The Precedent Of A Recurring Standoff
The dispute is not new. The French digital tax had already sparked trade tensions when it was introduced. The United States considered that it disproportionately affected their companies. Since then, threats of tariffs on wines, champagnes or more broadly European products reappear with every transatlantic flare-up.
What’s new on June 15 is mainly the target and the timing. Donald Trump does not just criticize the French digital services tax. He publicly links its retention to a potential sanction against an economic French symbol. This threat emerges at a time when leaders must discuss trade, security, and international coordination.
For French exporters, the immediate risk is uncertainty. A 100% threat may be enough to delay orders. It can also complicate negotiations with U.S. importers and weigh on prices. For the French government, the stake is broader: defending a national fiscal tool without triggering a customs escalation.