Speaking at a campaign event on Thursday, Macron, the candidate from En Marche, a party he helped create, said that he believed Trump was "wrong to advocate protectionism for his own economy. The United States is one of the most open economies in the world."
The Ameican middle class would suffer from protectionism, the candidate added, since the US is dependent on cheap goods from countries with lower production costs.
Macron also warned Trump against raising tariffs on European goods imported into the US, saying that Europe would retaliate in kind if the tariffs were put in place. "I don't want to go down that path, but we would respond if the wrong choices were made," he said.
In January, Trump economic advisor Peter Navarro accused Berlin of using what he said was a grossly undervalued euro to the disadvantage of European and US economies. German officials vowed to respond to any import tariffs. Last month, US officials also contemplated introducing a 100% import tariffs on about 90 products made in the EU.
At his Thursday campaign event, Macron also warned Trump against abandoning predecessor Barack Obama's efforts on fighting global combat change. "Trump would be making a grave mistake by going back on his predecessor's commitments towards the climate," he said.
In fact, Macron noted, if Trump does go ahead with trying to unravel Obama's efforts, he will forge a close partnership with Beijing on the issue. "I will forge a very strategic alliance with our Chinese partner on this subject," he said.
During the US election campaign, Trump had rattled European NATO members after he said repeatedly that the alliance to be "obsolete" and ineffective in the fight against Daesh terrorism.
The Macron-Trump antagonism is not new. Last month, the French politician invited American scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs who do not agree with Trump's policy to move to France. In January, complaining about the Brexit and London's efforts to establish a closer relationship with Washington, Macron suggested that Britain was turning into a "vassal 'junior partner' of the United States." Macron, whose electoral strategy depends on getting France's Muslim vote, has also slammed Trump's executive order on immigration.
Macron was appointed Minister of Economy, Industry and Digital Affairs in 2014, and pushed through business-friendly reforms. He is alternately described as a social liberal and a social democrat, and previously worked as an investment banker for Rothschild & Cie Banque, the French branch of Rothschild Group.
France will go the polls to elect its new president later this spring. The first round of voting will take place on April 23, followed by a second round on May 7 if no candidate receives over 50% of the vote. National Front leader Marine Le Pen is leading in the polls with 27% of the vote, with Macron coming in second with 24%.
