‘It is a dark day’: France rages as EU pretty much just handed Trump the keys and said ‘whatever you want, boss’

A new trade deal between the United States and the European Union has caused a major political uproar in France, with top leaders expressing deep anger and frustration. The agreement, which was finalized on Sunday, has faced heavy criticism. French Prime Minister François Bayrou called the result a moment of surrender for Europe.

This strong backlash reflects a widespread belief in the French government that the European Commission did not use the EU’s economic strength effectively during negotiations. The PM believes the EU instead gave in too easily to American pressure.

Prime Minister Bayrou said, “It is a dark day when an alliance of free peoples, united to assert their values and defend their interests, resigns itself to submission.” His strong words were supported by many in his government.

France isn’t happy with EU giving into US tariff threats

While officials acknowledged that the deal does provide a short-term benefit by setting a 15 percent tariff on most EU imports, avoiding a much harsher 30 percent tax that was set to take effect on August 1, they argued that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and her team failed to use the full power of the EU’s single market. They claimed that the concessions made were too one-sided and that the agreement was unfair and unsustainable.

The anger was not limited to the prime minister. European Minister Benjamin Haddad made it clear that the current situation was unacceptable and could not continue. Trade Minister Laurent Saint-Martin also stressed that France would not simply accept the deal, warning that doing so would weaken Europe’s standing as an economic power.

He repeated the view that the agreement was unbalanced and said more work was needed to secure fairer terms. Both ministers pushed for the EU to consider using the Anti-Coercion Instrument as a way to force better conditions.

The Anti-Coercion Instrument is a powerful tool the EU can use to fight back against economic pressure from other countries. If activated, it would allow the European Union to take retaliatory steps, such as blocking American companies from key parts of the European market.

This could include restricting their access to government contracts, reducing their ability to invest in the EU, or limiting their involvement in European financial markets. French officials argue that using this tool would show the EU’s determination and push for a renegotiation that better protects European interests, ensuring that economic bullying is met with a strong response.