United States President Donald Trump unexpectedly criticized France during a Fox News interview on Monday, raising concerns about what he described as unfair taxation of American technology companies by the European nation.
The comments emerged during a discussion with Fox News host Laura Ingraham about Chinese student enrollment in American universities. When Ingraham contrasted Chinese students with other nationalities, stating that Chinese nationals “spy on us” and “steal our intellectual property,” President Trump interrupted with a pointed question about France.
“Do you think the French are better, really? I will tell you, I’m not so sure,” the President stated, before elaborating on his concerns. “We’ve had a lot of problems with the French where we get taxed unfairly on our technology.”
The American leader’s remarks spotlight ongoing tensions between Washington and Paris over digital taxation policies. President Trump has previously warned that he would impose significant tariffs on nations implementing what he considers discriminatory digital taxes targeting American tech giants.
The relationship between President Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron has been characterized by public displays of camaraderie, including well-documented handshakes and friendly gestures during international meetings. Their personal rapport has included memorable moments, such as when President Macron called President Trump in September after getting stuck in New York traffic caused by the presidential motorcade while rushing from a United Nations meeting.
However, underlying policy disagreements have occasionally strained the bilateral relationship. The two leaders have clashed over France’s recognition of a Palestinian state and climate policies. Additionally, President Trump has consistently pressured European allies, including France, to increase their financial commitments to NATO and their own defense capabilities, particularly as Europe seeks to maintain American support for Ukraine amid its conflict with Russia.
The discussion about France arose during a broader conversation about the Trump administration’s shifting policies on foreign student visas. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in May that the United States would “aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students.” However, months later, President Trump indicated the country would permit 600,000 Chinese students to enter the United States, highlighting apparent policy inconsistencies within the administration.