French finance minister says Trump tariff withdrawal 'first positive sign'

French Finance Minister Roland Lescure welcomed U.S. President Trump’s decision to drop threatened tariffs, calling it a positive step toward de-escalation. He added that authorities will remain vigilant as the situation develops.

Reuters

January 22, 2026

French finance minister says Trump tariff withdrawal 'first positive sign'

FILE PHOTO: French Minister for Economy, Finance, and Industrial, Energy and Digital Sovereignty Roland Lescure attends a session at the French Senate in Paris, France, December 15, 2025.

Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters

French Finance Minister Roland Lescure on Thursday welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement that he would drop his threat to impose tariffs on a number of nations for their stance on Greenland.

"This is a first positive sign that is moving in the right direction," Lescure said on RTL radio. "That's basically what we were looking for. The magic word for the last 48 hours has been de-escalation. Right now, we're de-escalating".

Meanwhile, he said he remained "vigilant".

-Louise Rasmussen/Reuters