Donald Trump threatened to impose a 200% tariff on French wine and champagne on Monday after being informed that Emmanuel Macron plans to snub his Gaza Peace Board.
Trump unveiled plans for his Board of Peace on Friday, with invitations sent out to world leaders, including Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump, who will be chairman, described it as “the greatest and most prestigious board ever assembled” as he announced members and said other leaders would be confirmed soon.
- Donald Trump threatened a 200% tariff on French wine after reports that Macron wouldn't join Trump’s Gaza Peace Board.
- Trump invited world leaders, including Vladimir Putin, to join his ‘greatest and most prestigious’ Gaza Peace Board.
- France is expected to reject the peace board invitation, citing concerns over UN principles and framework beyond Gaza.
Donald Trump threatened tariffs on France and confirmed Vladimir Putin’s peace board invite
Image credits: Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images
However, sources close to Macron have confirmed France does not intend to accept the invitation as it has significant concerns.
“The charter goes beyond the framework of Gaza alone. It raises major questions, particularly regarding respect for the principles and structure of the United Nations, which must under no circumstances be called into question,” a source told BFM TV.
Learning of Macron’s reported position on Monday evening, Trump said that “nobody wants him because he’s going to be out of office very soon.”
Image credits: Eric BERACASSAT/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
“I’ll put a 200 percent tariff on his wines and Champagnes, and he’ll join, but he doesn’t have to join,” Trump told reporters.
In response to the threat, a French official told Politico, “We have taken note of Mr. Trump’s statements on wines and Champagnes. As we have always emphasized, tariff threats to influence our foreign policy are unacceptable and ineffective.”
The president also confirmed to reporters that he had sent an invitation to Putin, who has yet to agree to a ceasefire deal in Ukraine after invading it four years ago.
Reporter: Have you invited Putin to be a member of the board of peace?
Trump: Yes
Reporter: Can you respond to Macron saying he will not join the board of peace?
Trump: Nobody wants him… I’ll put a 200% tariff on his wines and he’ll join pic.twitter.com/A3a1fXybks
— Acyn (@Acyn) January 20, 2026
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow is studying “all details of this offer” on Monday, adding, “We hope to be in touch with the U.S. in order to clarify all of its aspects.”
The board, a cornerstone of Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, will oversee the reconstruction, governance, and stabilisation of the war-ravaged Gaza Strip.
Trump’s peace plan helped broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that went into effect on October 10, 2025.
However, according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health in Gaza, 449 Palestinians, including 100 children, have been killed since the ceasefire was agreed.
At least 449 Palestinians have reportedly been killed since the ceasefire
Image credits: Contributor/Getty Images
It further reported that 1,246 people have been injured as airstrikes, shelling, and gunfire continue to be reported across the Gaza Strip.
Confirmed members of the board include Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner; former British Prime Minister Tony Blair; Secretary of State Marco Rubio; and Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff.
According to the White House, each member “will oversee a defined portfolio critical to Gaza’s stabilization and long-term success.”
This includes “governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding, and capital mobilization.”
Image credits: Khames Alrefi/Anadolu via Getty Images
The plan is already facing controversy after Bloomberg reported that the Trump administration wants at least $1 billion from countries to secure a permanent spot on its board.
A draft charter for members, seen by Bloomberg, said that while decisions would be made on a majority vote, with each member state having one vote, those decisions would need to be approved by Trump, who will serve as chairman.
“Each Member State shall serve a term of no more than three years from this Charter’s entry into force, subject to renewal by the Chairman. The three-year membership term shall not apply to Member States that contribute more than USD $1,000,000,000 in cash funds to the Board of Peace within the first year of the Charter’s entry into force,” the draft read.
Image credits: Donald Trump
Unless vetoed by a two-thirds majority of member states, Trump would also have the authority to remove members from the board.
“The Chairman shall at all times designate a successor for the role of Chairman,” the charter adds.
Sources told Bloomberg that several nations have raised serious concerns about the draft charter and are discussing a joint response to the proposals.






15
0