'Shark might attack someday… so better eat the lifeguard now': France mocks US over Greenland 

France mocks US over Greenland as Trump threatens 200% wine tariffs

• France mocked US Arctic policy with sarcastic analogies on X
• Trump announced tariffs on EU goods over Greenland dispute
• EU nations back Denmark and may use trade measures against US pressure

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France issued a sharp, sarcastic rebuttal to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s remarks on Greenland, using a series of analogies to criticize Washington’s push for control of the Arctic territory.

This comes as US President Donald Trump threatened a 200% tariff on French wine and champagne after French President Emmanuel Macron indicated he would not join Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace.”

In a post on X, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs mocked Bessent’s justification, “If there were a fire someday, firefighters would intervene, so better burn the house now. If a shark might attack someday, intervention would follow, so better eat the lifeguard now. If there were a crash someday, damage would occur, so better ram the car now.”

“If there were a fire someday, firefighters would intervene — so better burn the house now.”

“If a shark might attack someday, intervention would follow — so better eat the lifeguard now.” “If there were a crash someday, damage would occur — so better ram the car now.” https://t.co/gXBEAONzPq — French Response (@FrenchResponse) January 18, 2026

Bessent defended Trump’s Greenland policy, saying the US cannot “outsource our hemispheric security to anyone else” and warning that a future conflict in the Arctic would draw Washington in. He added, “And so better now, peace through strength. Europeans project weakness. US projects strength.”

Trump has announced a 10% tariff on goods from several European nations—including Denmark, France, Germany, the UK, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Netherlands—starting February 1, 2026, until Denmark cedes control of Greenland, with the rate set to rise to 25% from June 1 if no agreement is reached.

Macron responded firmly: “No intimidation nor threat will influence us, whether in Ukraine, Greenland, or anywhere else in the world when we are faced with such situations,” and called the tariff threats “unacceptable.”

France’s Finance Minister Roland Lescure warned that attempts to control Greenland could jeopardize EU-US trade relations, while emphasizing that Europe still seeks cooperation on shared priorities, including rare earth minerals.

A joint statement by eight European nations expressed full solidarity with Denmark and Greenland, while the EU is reportedly considering deploying its “trade bazooka,” the Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI), to defend against economic pressure from non-bloc countries.