Ahead of Donald Trump swearing in, French PM issues ‘Europe will be crushed’ warning

French prime minister Francois Bayrou on Monday warned against risks of France and Europe being “dominated, crushed and marginalised”

French prime minister Francois Bayrou on Monday warned against risks of France and Europe being “dominated, crushed and marginalised” if they do nothing to counter the policies of Donald Trump, set to be sworn in as the 47th US president on Monday.

Donald Trump and French prime minister Francois Bayrou

"The United States, with the inauguration of the president, has decided on a politics that is incredibly dominating... If we do nothing then our fate will be simple. We will be dominated, we will be crushed, we will be marginalised. It is up to us, French and Europeans," AFP quoted Bayrou, who recently survived a no-confidence motion against his government, as saying.

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Ahead of his victory in the US presidential elections, Trump had said that the European Union would have to “pay a big price” for not buying enough American exports.

"I'll tell you what, the European Union sounds so nice, so lovely, right? All the nice European little countries that get together," Reuters quoted Trump as saying at a rally in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, days before the November 5 election.

"They don't take our cars. They don't take our farm products. They sell millions and millions of cars in the United States. No, no, no, they are going to have to pay a big price," Trump had said.

Trump has already vowed to impose a 10% tariff on imports from all countries, and 60% duties on imports from China.

Donald Trump inauguration today

Trump, who overcame impeachments, criminal indictments and a pair of assassination attempts to win another term in the White House, will be sworn in as the 47th president on Monday, taking charge as Republicans assume unified control of Washington and set out to reshape the country's institutions.

He plans to declare the beginning of “a thrilling new era of national success” as “a tide of change is sweeping the country," according to excerpts of his inaugural address as quoted by AP.

The executive orders are the first step in what Trump will call “the complete restoration of America and the revolution of common sense."

(With agency inputs)