Dairy farmer throws support behind Trump's trade war with China
Maryland dairy farmer Randy Sowers says he trusts the president as a businessman to know what he's up against.
President Trump unloaded on the French government Friday, attacking the quality of the nation's wine and vowing to retaliate against a tax on American companies.
"France just put a digital tax on our great American technology companies. If anybody taxes them, it should be their home Country, the USA," he tweeted.
"We will announce a substantial reciprocal action on Macron’s foolishness shortly. I’ve always said American wine is better than French wine!"
While speaking in the Oval Office on Friday, Trump clarified that he "might" slap tariffs on French wine. "I've always like American wines better than French wines -- even though I don't drink wine. I just like the way they look," he added.
SILICON VALLEY HIT WITH NEW DIGITAL TAX IN FRANCE
His comments came after French President Emmanuel Macron slapped a 3 percent tax on the revenues of high-performing tech giants like Facebook and Amazon. The tax applies to companies with more than $834 million in global revenue.
“The United States is extremely disappointed by France’s decision to adopt a digital services tax at the expense of U.S. companies and workers," White House Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere said in a statement provided to Fox News on Friday.
"France’s unilateral measure appears to target innovative U.S. technology firms that provide services in distinct sectors of the economy ... The Trump Administration has consistently stated that it will not sit idly by and tolerate discrimination against U.S.-based firms. The U.S. Trade Representative has already launched a Section 301 investigation into France’s digital services tax, and the Administration is looking closely at all other policy tools.”
The White House announced earlier in July that it was opening an investigation into whether an imminent French tax on technology giants "unfairly targets American companies."
Trump has long pushed a version of protectionism focused on boosting American manufacturing and hiring while punishing nations like China for what he saw as unfair trade practices.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer pursued the probe under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which gives him a year to look into the matter. The White House previously used the law to enact sweeping tariffs on China, and the statute's provisions allow Trump to impose retaliatory tariffs against France if its trade practices are deemed unfairly protectionist.
Apple -- also a large, international tech giant -- drew Trump's ire on Friday. In a tweet just before the one on France, Trump warned Apple that it wouldn't receive tariff waivers if it made its products in China.
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"Apple will not be given Tariff waiver, or relief, for Mac Pro parts that are made in China. Make them in the USA, no Tariffs!" he said.
Earlier on Friday, Trump tweeted a report about China facing a surplus of goods amid a trade war between it and the United States.
Fox News' Gregg Re contributed to this report.
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