France’s Ministry of Foreign Trade on Saturday denounced U.S. interference in the diversity and inclusion policies of French companies as "unacceptable," following a letter from the U.S. Embassy in Paris urging firms to avoid such programs.
The ministry’s statement came in response to a U.S. directive, first reported by French media late Friday, that warned companies against implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives—a frequent target of the Trump administration.
"American interference in the inclusion policies of French companies, along with threats of unjustified tariffs, is unacceptable," the ministry said. "France and Europe will defend their companies, their consumers, but also their values."
Copies of the letter, reviewed by multiple news agencies, were sent to French firms currently doing—or seeking to do—business with the U.S. The document included an attached form requiring companies to certify they "do not practice programs to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion," claiming such policies violate U.S. anti-discrimination laws.
The letter cited Executive Order 14173, signed by President Trump on January 20, which bans federal DEI programs and extends to all U.S. government contractors and suppliers, regardless of nationality. According to Le Figaro, which published the letter, recipients were given five days to sign and return the form or provide a detailed refusal.
France, already at odds with the Trump administration over proposed tariffs, swiftly rebuffed the demand. The Foreign Trade Ministry reiterated its opposition to both the U.S. stance on DEI policies and what it called "unjustified tariff threats."
An official from Economy Minister Eric Lombard’s office distanced France from the U.S. position, stating, "These [policies] reflect the values of the new U.S. government—they are not ours. The minister will remind his U.S. counterparts of that."
French law prohibits companies from considering race, ethnicity, or religion in hiring, as part of the country’s secular, "color-blind" approach (laïcité). Instead, corporate diversity efforts in France focus on gender and socioeconomic background.
The exact number of firms that received the U.S. letter remains unclear. The Economy Ministry estimated "a few dozen" were affected but said a final tally was not yet available.