French President Emanuel Macron said the European Union did not harness the power of its single market and did not strike enough fear into the United States to reach a better deal.
“They should be afraid of us. We were not scared enough,” Macron reportedly told his ministers during his weekly cabinet meeting on Wednesday, according to a French official cited by Politico.
Macron had remained silent in the days following the deal between U.S. President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The deal calls for tariffs of 15% on most European exports to the United States.
The French president did not use as dramatic a tone as his prime minister, who called the deal a “black day” for Europe. Macron praised European negotiators, saying they protected French and European interests in “difficult circumstances” because of Trump’s intention to impose tariffs on U.S. trading partners and transform the international economy.
Macron also said he believes there is still time to change the deal. “The story is not over, and we will not stop here,” he reportedly said.
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