French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou warned on Monday that France and Europe as a whole would have to stand up to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and his policies, or face being "crushed".

Economically speaking, the American president has no interest in attacking the European Union. “If our interests are hurt, we'll react,” said French diplomatic chief Jean-Noël Barrot. “Who has an interest in a trade war between the United States and Europe?

For French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu, European capitals took a “serious kick in the butt” during Donald Trump's inauguration speech. “Perhaps the brutality of the (US) president's words can finally lead to a shock and an awakening” in Europe,