The US Embassy in Paris has reportedly sent a letter to several French companies, asking them to abandon their anti-discrimination policies or face the possibility of a breakdown in cooperation with the US government. This was reported by the French newspapers Le Figaro and Les Echos.
According to the reports, the letter was sent in response to a series of executive orders signed by US President Donald Trump, including the closure of programs focused on diversity, equality and inclusion in federal agencies. The letter allegedly states that these measures will apply to all US government contractors and suppliers, regardless of their nationality or the country in which they operate.
The companies are reportedly being asked to confirm within five days that they do not conduct programs that promote diversity, equality and inclusion and that do not violate federal anti-discrimination laws. In the event of a refusal, the companies are required to provide detailed explanations that will be reviewed by US authorities.
The identity of the companies involved was not specified, but sources from Le Figaro reported that several telecommunications sector representatives were initially approached in early March, with the threat of contract terminations or legal action if they did not discontinue their inclusion programs.
The French government is aware of the situation, according to Le Figaro and views the US demand as a reflection of the “values of the new American government, which are not our own.” The article quotes a source from the economic and finance ministry as saying, “This is a new stage in the trade war initiated by Trump.”
Le Parisien described the US demand as a new step in the trade war, which has already seen Trump impose tariffs on steel and aluminum, affecting EU exports worth $28 billion and threaten to impose a 25% tariff on all cars not made in the USA. The EU has responded with retaliatory measures and Trump has threatened to impose more tariffs on the EU’s attempt to “harm the US economy.