Donald Trump raised his voice against Emmanuel Macron on Twitter (again). In a tweet posted on July 26, the American president attacked the “foolishness” of his French counterpart and said that “American wine is better than French wine.”
The reason for his anger: the French tax known as “GAFA” (Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple) which hits the digital giants. “France just put a digital tax on our great American technology companies. If anybody taxes them, it should be their home Country [sic], the USA,” the American president tweeted. “We will announce a substantial reciprocal action on Macron’s foolishness shortly. I’ve always said American wine is better than French wine!”
France just put a digital tax on our great American technology companies. If anybody taxes them, it should be their home Country, the USA. We will announce a substantial reciprocal action on Macron’s foolishness shortly. I’ve always said American wine is better than French wine!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2019
The president’s tweet is further proof of the United States government’s dissatisfaction with the tax. Adopted by the French Parliament on July 11, it allows for a 3% tax on the revenue in France of Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and other companies in the sector. A few days earlier, the United States had announced the opening of an investigation into the consequences of this tax. “We are unhappy that France is going to go ahead with some kind of digital tax,” said Trump’s chief economic advisor Larry Kudlow on Friday, July 26. “I think the digital tax hike in France is a very, very big mistake. I’m sorry to see it.”
No doubt there will be tension at the next G7 summit, scheduled for August 24-26 in Biarritz, France.
