French Businesses Face New Challenges Amid U.S. Policies
In recent months, French companies have been preparing for the repercussions of escalating trade wars and tariff threats emerging from the United States, driven by President Trump’s “America First” policies. However, an unexpected twist unfolded last week as the French corporate landscape was shaken by a different kind of communication from the Trump administration.
A succinct three-paragraph letter dispatched by the American Embassy in France to various French corporations delivered a startling message: President Trump’s directives aimed at dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion (D.E.I.) initiatives would extend to all firms engaged in contracts with the U.S. government. The letter provided a mere five days for companies to sign a compliance form.
The executive order issued by Mr. Trump on his first day in office mandates that federal contractors refrain from engaging in D.E.I. efforts, labeling such initiatives as “illegal discrimination.” The correspondence to French businesses emphasized that this order “applies to all suppliers and contractors of the U.S. government, regardless of their nationality or the country in which they operate.”
“Should you choose not to sign this document, we kindly request that you provide detailed reasons for your decision, which we will forward to our legal services,” the letter stated. The accompanying form required companies to certify “that they do not operate any programs promoting D.E.I.”
This development sparked significant concern and debate within the French business community, prompting a swift and pointed response from the French government. “This practice reflects the values of the new American administration, which are not aligned with our own,” the economy ministry declared in a statement issued late Friday. Furthermore, France’s economy minister, Eric Lombard, plans to address this issue with his American counterparts, as indicated in the official statement.
